MATCH REPORT: TITANS TRIUMPH AFTER SENSATIONAL COMEBACK

RAMS Titans produced a stirring comeback to make it two HALBRO Raging Bull Shield Division One wins from two with a last-gasp 42-35 victory under the Friday Night Lights at Esher Cardinals.

It was the visitors who opened the scoring, No. 8 Mike Hoyt taking a quick tap penalty to put the Esher defence under pressure before Paddy Harris burrowed over the line following a series of pick-and-goes, James Gilman knocking over the kick for 7-0.

Cardinals hit back swiftly, though, a kick down the left-hand-touchline hacked on before being dived on, the conversion levelling matters.

However, Rams repeated their earlier trick as they hammered away at the line, another front row, Elio Mandozzi, this time blasting over before Gilman added the extras.

The ebb-and-flow nature of the contest continued, though, and it was Esher who got on the scoresheet next as Keelan Farrell burst down the left flank from just inside his own half for a converted try which made it 14-14.

Things got worse for the visitors before the break as they were hit on the counter-attack, Niall Kidd’s rampaging break swooped upon when the ball came loose on the Esher 10-metre line, fly-half Ben Barlow hoovering up and racing in for a score he converted for a 21-14 half-time lead.

The home side moved further in front as they wrapped up a bonus-point with a slick backs’ move ending with a seven-pointer on the left, Titans staying in the game with a magnificent Sam Rennell try from 40 metres out.

Gilman’s kick cut the gap to seven points, but the writing appeared to be on the wall as Esher extended their advantage to 35-21 with a converted try from the back of a well-worked maul.

Yet in an extraordinary final quarter, Rams turned the table on its head with captain Alex Sparkes making the first move.

After Hoyt was held up just short from another super set-piece, Sparkes sniped over before Gilman made it 35-28, the kicker then levelling after his fellow Reading University pal George Alvis – a late, late call-up on the day of the game – cut a fabulous line to run in from 25 metres out.

And it was another Reading Uni man, Ryan Lomas, who had the final word, the prop receiving a simply sensational out-the-back off-load from Kidd to run in the decisive score, Gilman maintaining his perfect record from the tee.

Titans coach Harry Stapleton praised the all-round team effort of his side while highlighting Liam Goodison’s efforts ahead of Saturday’s home game against also unbeaten Bishop’s Stortford Blues (2.30pm).