Worthing Raiders 22 Redingensians Rams 20
Rams coach Mike Tewkesbury was bitterly disappointed after his men just missed out on victory.
He said: “It’s an old cliché but this was a game which could have gone either way. I felt we deserved more than a bonus point for our performance.”
“We were a little frantic at the start. But once we settled down, we showed skill and patience plus a lot of determination.”
There was little to choose between the sides in the set piece, but Rams, missing injured key man Rob Stapley, trailed 14-3 just before the break.
They fought back to lead 20-14 after a lively third quarter with fly-half Spike Chandler playing his part despite an absence of two years.
He had put his side in front with an eighth minute penalty before Worthing hit back through prop Dan Sargent who went over from a catch and drive for Matt McLean to add the extras.
Just before half-time No 8 Liam Perkins increased the Sussex side’s advantage unopposed from a short yardage scrum.
However there was still time before the turnaround for Chandler to add his second three-pointer.
Rams’ cause was helped early in the second half by a yellow card for Perkins. They took advantage when Dieter Kerschbaumer, a lively presence, put the finishing touches to a catch and drive with Chandler converting from the touchline.
After 55 minutes it got even better for the visitors, now in control, when tight-head James Baker drove over and Chandler added the extra points.
On the hour, a McLean kick reduced Worthing’s arrears to 17-20 before Rams suffered a telling blow with scrum-half George Drury sin-binned for not releasing.
Immediately Jamie Ure crossed from a quickly taken tap penalty and the Sonning men, a player short, were unable to snatch a late winner.
This fourth successive reverse sees Rams slide to next to bottom of the table but this display can give them every hope of avoiding the drop.

Rams: Foxley; Corrigan, Bryant, Barnes, McDermottroe; Chandler, Drury; Weller, Henderson, Baker, Bryson, Kerschbaumer, Kharbouch, Vooght, Guttridge. Reps: Knowles, Ball, Morrison, Nightingale, Brooks.