FULL-BACK Charlie Robson was at the double and a number of other Rams youngsters impressed to lead Berkshire Under 20s into the quarter-finals of the Jason Leonard County Championship with a 37-19 success at Hampshire.

Having won the first leg 43-7 at Old Bath Road earlier in the month, Berkshire opened the scoring at Havant with their powerful rolling maul playing a key role.

Bracknell No. 8 Josh Riles peeled off the back of a catch-and-drive from a line-out inside the Hampshire 22, and while he was held up just short, as was second row Callum Cooper, the former was then able to get back on his feet and blast over from close range.

The advantage was doubled shortly after when the home side again did well to hold a maul short of the line, but Ealing Trailfinders Academy man Cooper cleverly found space on the right before darting over following a pass from Abbey scrum-half Sol Robinson.

With the Berkshire pack increasingly getting on top, the third try was hastened by a turnover at the scrum just inside the Hampshire 22.

From there, the away side surged towards the try line – former Rams Mini and current University of Exeter man Josh Norman carrying strongly – before Matt Smith’s well-timed pass allowed Robson a simple first of the afternoon.

The gallant hosts battled bravely, however, and cut the deficit to a single point before the interval, firstly scoring a brilliant flowing try in which they kept the ball alive superbly, and then grabbing a second on the right wing with an expert conversion fully following.

However, it was Berkshire who started the second half brighter, with a couple of Rams coming to the fore in setting up their fourth score of the afternoon.

Firstly, loose-head prop Harry Etwell’s powerful charge took his side some 10 metres from the try line, before Henry Lenthall’s beautiful miss-pass found Finn Matthews – the Reading University student has impressed in games for the Titans this term – to touch down on the right.

Berkshire made it 25-12 when Oxford Harlequin Ben Murrell dived over off the back of a maul, but the home side kept themselves in the contest with a try of their own from close range.

However, the door was slammed shut when skipper Spencer Hayhow – who had scored four times in the first game – went on a trademark bullocking charge before Robson showed a delightful combination of quick feet and power to scamper over on the right.

And another dominant Berkshire scrum then set-up Riles to dive over from a metre out for his second of the afternoon, Smith’s conversion proving to be the last points of the day.

Berkshire next host Surrey on Sunday, March 20 for a place in the semi-finals.