MAN-OF-THE-MATCH James Baker added to his legendary status with a stand-out performance as Rams ran in eight tries to overcome visitors Chinnor 50-31 in another National One cracker.

Under the Friday night lights it was the away side who initially silenced the majority of the bumper 1,023 crowd, making the first breakthrough as they blasted away at the line a couple of times before Willie Ryan crossed.

Nick Smith added the extras, but Rams hit back in sumptuous fashion with a rapid-fire double to get the fans bouncing.

Firstly, Ollie Cole’s clever grubber kick was pounced on by the returning Ellis Jones, the Welshman dotting down for Will Partington to level, and the centre then almost immediately intercepted in midfield to free Axel Kalling-Smith to run in from 45 metres.

Partington was again on target, and things got even worse for the visitors as Ryan was yellow carded for a breakdown infringement.

It was Cole who grabbed the third with a close-range dart after a series of phases near the Chinnor line, and the bonus-point was wrapped up when debutant Zach Clow brilliantly dived on Partington’s cross-field kick to make it 24-7.

The helter-skelter nature of the contest continued as Chinnor hit back with a Charley Robinson try from the back of surging rolling maul, Smith again on target, but the hosts claimed two more tries before the break to gain a stranglehold on the tie.

Baker claimed the first – his second of the season against the same opponents – and after Partington landed the conversion, Clow doubled his tally with a magnificent finish down the left.

It was Chinnor who started the second period stronger, though, Ryan smashing over from close range for another converted score.

However, Rams got the next with a moment which will live long in the memory, Baker hurtling 45 metres through the middle before a wonderful off-load gave Cole the simplest of tries under the posts.

The visitors were hit with a second sin-bin when James Down was carded for illegally bringing down a maul, and Rams reached their half century when some slick handling ended with Clow’s lovely pass allowing Max Hayman to cross on the left.

With a 29-point deficit heading into the final quarter, things looked bleak for the away side, but they battled manfully and picked up a bonus-point of their own when substitute Josh Hodson went over on the left, before having the final word when Robinson collected another from the set-piece.

Final score: Rams 50-31 Chinnor

Half-time score: Rams 36-14 Chinnor

Scorers:

Rams:

Tries: Jones 7, Kalling-Smith 9, Cole 16, 50, Clow 23, 37, Baker 33, Hayman 60

Conversions: Partington 8, 10, 34, 51, 61

Chinnor:

Tries: Ryan 4, 44, Robinson 29, 77, Hodson 67

Conversions: Smith 5, 30, 45

Star Player: James Baker (Rams)

Referee: Iain Kiy

Attendance: 1,023