Six second half tries, four in the closing eight minutes, saw league leaders Rams inch ever nearer to the National Div. 3 South West title and automatic promotion at the Old Bath Road ground last Saturday.
Rams led all the way but their own mistakes and errors in judgement in quelling the visitors initial enthusiasm hindered their early performance before gaining their composure after the break to win comfortably.
Although the visitors scored first in the second half Rams eventually found their true rhythm in the final quarter running in four tries in eight minutes as their visitors tired and lost their early momentum.
“It was a slow start and it was pretty even for the first 40 minutes,” admitted skipper Andy Amor afterwards. “But good discipline in the second half saw us hold on to the ball, throw it about and another 50 points and well done! They tired at the end of the second half and we showed our strength and the character of the side right there.”
On a beautiful sunny afternoon and with the wind dying down Rams kicked off towards the Sonning golf club and were ahead after seven minutes when the visitors were penalised for dropping the scrum and, from scrum half James Brooks kick to touch, lock Tom Bryson's well won line out ball was whipped out to the right wing for No. 8 Gus Davies, up quickly in support, to power over in the right-hand corner.
Brooks missed the conversion but Rams record breaking points scorer was, however, soon back in action as the visitors went offside at a ruck and he landed with a superb 39 metre effort to put his side 8-0 ahead.
But, from the restart and the very next play, fly half Ashley Grove reduced arrears with Redcliffians opening penalty only for them to concede one themselves three minutes later, for pulling down a scrum, that Brooks landed from 31 metres to put Rams 11-3 in front.
With Kiwi referee Karl Gibson penalising Rams for dropping the scrum Redcliffians, now down to 14 with their tight-head prop yellow carded, had another chance of three points soon after only for Grove to put his a penalty to the left of the posts.
While, within minutes, Rams also found themselves down to 14 when excellent prop James Baker was sent to the bin for joining a ruck on the wrong side.
Nevertheless, bang on 40 minutes, Rams stretched their lead following a good Brooks penalty kick to touch and, from the line-out, skipper Amor crashed over in the corner helped along by the rest of his pack.
With Brooks failing to add the extras Rams turned around at half time leading 16-3 but having not shown their clinical finishing and having made far too many errors.
In fact it was the visitors who opened the second half scoring with a second Grove penalty, 16-6, before Rams started to really find their potential championship form and turn the screw.
First they drove their visitors back over their line from a five metre scrum for No.8 Gus Davies to dab down and, five minutes later, Massey was tearing off down the pitch and jinking inside the remaining defence for one of his easiest tries of the season and with Brooks converting both Rams were 30-6 ahead.
A great tackle, a yard from his own line, from excellent wing Ollie Foxley prevented the visitors from grabbing a try immediately afterwards before Rams took full control in the final eight minutes.
First full back Joe Duffelen and Foxley sent Massey on a great swerving run from the halfway line to score under the posts and for fly half Flower to convert with Brooks now on the bench. Then right wing Poole grabbed Rams sixth try folowing a great break by Flower who also added the extras before a surging run from lock Tom Bryson ended with replacement scrum half Will Clark dabbing down which, this time, went unconverted.
And Rams still had time for one more touchdown that followed a great kick from centre Dan Barnes and scooped up by Foxley to touchdown and for Flower to add the conversion.
As centre David Massey admitted afterwards: “It was a difficult one to put your finger on but the last 20 minutes was, probably, some of the best rugby we've played. We gave away too many penalties and made too many handling errors in the first half and, psychologically, I don't think that we were there for the first half of that game but we showed what we can do in the last 20 minutes.”
He was also pleased at how well the back division has come together.
“Dan Barnes is good new addition and we've actually run some quite nice moves,” he explained. “We're attacking the line well although sometimes we are a bit lazy and the depth is'nt there, but it's something to work on and move forward with, otherwise it's very positive!”
And, with four games to go, lock James Hughes says they are trying not to think about winning promotion too much.
“We're taking each game as it comes, we know that each team we come up against are trying to knock us off our perch but we're happy where we are and we really do want to make up for last season,” he says. “I try not to think about going up but it plays on your mind. You really want to focus on getting five points every game and making sure there are not any promotion problems when we play Exmouth and the others at the end.”
Rams have next weekend off before their next game away to Oxford Harlequins (Mar. 21). The following Saturday (28th) they travel to Weston-super-Mare before returning home to face Exmouth (Apl.11) they then complete their league fixtures with a trip to Barnstaple (Apl.18th).

Rams – Duffelen; Poole, Barnes, Massey, Foxley; Flower, Brooks; Weller, Crame, Baker; Hughes, Bryson; Amor (c), Hopkins, Davies. Reps all used: Steadman, Root, Clark.

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