last Saturday as Old Patesians revelled in the peculiarities of their home turf to win only their third National League 3 South West match of the season.
Despite Rams scoring four tries to lift a bonus point the home side revelled in the boot of fly half Connor Gwilliam who converted both their tries and banged over six penalties for a personal 22 point haul.
And Rams certainly flattered to deceive roaring into a 13-0 lead after just 15 minutes before the home side settled and pegged the points back to level by the break and then command much of the second half.
“We started well, very positively, carrying on from the previous weeks game, and we starved them of the ball for the first period, but then we allowed them to feed off our mistakes and in-discipline to let them back into the game,” commented disappointed Rams skipper and lock Owen Root. “They know how to play the pitch and the conditions very, very, well and all credit to them for coming back into the game.”
Refereed by Claire Hodnett, one of a handful of lady referees, Rams blasted out of the blocks to go 3-0 up after just four minutes thanks to fly half Guy Swaddling’s opening penalty.
And, within a minute of the restart, they had extended their lead after a great break from flanker Andy Amor set-up good ball for Swaddling and centre Steve Bryant, playing against his old club, to combine and send in wing Will Rasbridge.
Swadling couldn’t convert but he made up for it five minutes later when hooker Rory Paxton, who later in the half went off injured, grabbed his second try in as many outings and the visitors led 13-0.
But full back Matt Dean’s 15th minute try, converted by Gwilliam , opened the Pats account and with Gwilliam kicking penalties on 35 and 38 minutes it was, ominously, all-square at the break.
Now playing up the fierce some slope Rams went behind for the first time in just five minutes to a Gwilliam penalty but courageously hit back on 57 minutes with Swaddling, flanker Aaron Hopkins and replacement hooker Ross Crame all combining to send in right wing Josh Smith.
It was a short-lived lead as back roared the home side with lock Josh Stevens powering his way over and with Gwilliam kicking the conversion along with three further penalties Pats led 32-18 going into injury time.
But, despite being down to 14 men in the closing stages, after prop Chris Rumble had been yellow carded with 10 minutes to go and ensuring uncontested scrums, a spectacular try from flanker Aaron Hopkins, carving his way through the entire home defence on a diagonal run, converted by Swaddling, had cut the deficit by full-time and ensured the bonus point.
Rams:- Duffelen; Smith, Bryant, Gumbleton, Rasbridge; Swadling, Clark; Rumble, Paxton, Baker; Root (c), Hughes; Amor, Hopkins, Jeffreys. Reps – Crame, Aiono, Webb.