Exmouth 23 Redingensians Rams 32
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League leaders Rams 12th win of the season opened up a seven point gap at the top of the National 3 South West table and included a second hat-trick of the season for in-form No.8 Jamie Guttridge.
Guttridge dabbed down twice in the opening half and then added a third in the second before fly half Luke Flower grabbed number four to ensure the bonus point.
Scrum half James Brooks also kicked two penalties and three conversions but, while Rams, ultimately, showed championship winning form, they were hard-pressed to shake off their second placed hosts who, not unsurprisingly, fought to the bitter end.
And as Guttridge admitted afterwards: “It's always a bonus to get three but, to be honest, five points was more important today! If you can win your home games for five and then if you can pick up points away perfect, but if you beat the second placed team away from home and bag five points that's even better!”
On a beautiful day and under clear blue skies, Rams made the perfect start to go 7-0 up within five minutes following some good driving work from the forwards and which led to a line-out close to the home sides line and from which Guttridge drove over.
Brooks converted only for the home side to reply with some excellent power play from their forwards that led to a penalty against the visitors for pulling down a ruck.
Home fly half George Meadows missed his opportunity to reduce arrears but was promptly called back into action as Rams went offside, almost from the restart, and, this time, Meadows made no mistake.
But, Rams made amends soon after by turning over Exmouth ball and had stretched their lead to 10-3 when Exmouth were penalised for hands in a ruck and Brooks penalty bisected the posts.
However, a rare Brooks mistake at the base of a scrum and a yellow card for outstanding flanker Azza Hopkins had Rams on the back foot, and, from a great drive off a line-out, Exmouth's hooking skipper Tom Emery rounded off a cracking move that Meadows converted from wide out to square the match, 10-10.
And the home side continued to exert pressure on Rams defence with scrum half Garry Hooper pulled down just short of the line and right wing Matt Ryan almost over before a great forwards drive earned them a five metre scrum and No.8 Ross Morshead crashed over only for Meadows, kicking into the low sun, to miss with his conversion attempt, 15-10.
Rams, however, replied almost immediately, putting the home side under huge pressure and forcing them to collapse a scrum on their own five metre line and, opting for a scrum again, Rams drove the Exmouth pack back over their own line for Guttridge to grab his second touchdown. Brooks converting to end the half and give Rams a slender, 17-15, lead at the start of the second.
And, it was Brooks who once again got the scoreboard moving along with a second penalty soon after the break only for Exmouth to draw level with a 50th minute unconverted try from left wing Richard Bright to level the score, 20-20.
With Exmouth going down to 14 men some minutes later, when Morshead was sent to the sin-bin, Rams took full advantage to grab their third try as Guttridge again touched down from a push-over only for Brooks conversion attempt to hit the upright and bounce to safety.
Although a penalty from home replacement Rich Cadywould reduced arrears, 23-25, now confident Rams had the final say to seal the win.
It followed a well-worked build-up and a line-out on the home 22. A great Amor take ensured solid possession well exploited by wing Olly Poole and from the recycled ball fly half Flower steamed over to ensure Rams the bonus point and converted by Brooks.
As Rams skipper Andy Amor summed up: “It was a tough, bruising game, neck and neck all of the way through but the character of the side really pulled through there at the end and took us over the line.”
And hooker Ben Henderson, who had a storming game up front and around the park, admitted: “I'm loving it at the moment and it's great to take five points from one of the top teams, but we had to work hard for it. They gave us all they had but it eventually paid off for us and we had the dominance.”
Rams now entertain ninth placed Bournemouth at the Old Bath Road Ground this Saturday (20th) who drew 17-17 with Old Redcliffians last Saturday.

Rams – Duffelen; Poole, Bryant, Massey, Dampies; Flower, Brooks; Steadman, Henderson, Baker; Bryson, Hughes; Amor (c), Hopkins, Guttridge. Reps – Weller, Black, Foxley.

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