MATCH REPORT: TITANS COME UNSTUCK AT BARNES

RAMS Titans fell to a second consecutive Raging Bull Shield Division One defeat in London as they went down 34-12 at Barnes Raiders (2nd XV).

Things had begun well for the visitors when Tristan Kruger’s beautiful cross-field grubber kick was swept up by Karl Quartey to touch down in the right-hand corner, albeit Tom Humberstone was unable to add the extras.

However, Barnes levelled matters with some swift handling and quick footwork setting up a score of their own on the right, and they then hit the front with as hooker Dev Hope peeled off a rolling maul to snipe over the line from five metres out, Simon Keller with the extras.

A penalty shortly after extended the hosts’ advantage to 15-5, and despite Titans coming on strong towards the end of the opening 40 minutes – Sam Rennell’s impressive 60-metre dash the highlight – they went into the interval 10 points down.

And it was Raiders who got the first points of the second half, flanker Ben Christie spotting a gap to dart next to the points for a try again converted by Keller.

Titans continued to battle, though, and gave themselves a lifeline when Ross Crame combined a typically strong carry with a deft off-load to set Ollie Hodgson in from the Barnes’ 22.

James Gilman made no mistake from the tee to cut the deficit further as the game headed towards the final quarter, only for the visitors to suffer a fatal blow some five minutes later.

A huge shove from the Raiders pack won a scrum against the head, and some good work from the backs – and a stroke of good fortune with a couple of spilled balls just staying infield – saw them get over the line on the right from a move starting just inside the Titans’ 10-metre line.

The hosts then put the game to bed with a carbon copy of Hope’s first-half score, the hooker again working off the back of the set-piece to dart across the whitewash.

Replacement Kyle Beattie made no mistake with the conversion, and while a Mike Duda charge got the visitors to within inches of the line, they were unable to add to their tally as Barnes held on for a deserved victory.

Titans will look to get back to winning ways as they kick-start a double-header at Blackheath on Saturday (1pm).