MATCH REPORT: HONEY HOLDS HIS NERVE TO SEAL DRAMATIC WIN

FRASER Honey’s late penalty helped Rams snatch a dramatic yet deserved 22-20 victory in a National One classic at Old Bath Road.

The hosts made a dreadful start as they spilled the kick-off, Albion working through the phases before Sam Daly found a gap in the defence to touch down next to the posts.

Tom Putt made no mistake with the kick, but Rams regrouped and took control of possession and territory, only to come up against a formidable Plymouth wall.

Time after time the hosts were repelled near their opponents’ line, and it was Albion who then extended their advantage with a Putt penalty from 35 metres out.

Rams continued to put pressure on their high-flying rivals, and it eventually told with a brace of yellow cards – Hallam Chapman firstly for a late tackle on Finn Matthews after the young wing chipped ahead, and Archie Hill then for going off-side near his line.

And finally, their efforts were rewarded on the stroke of half-time, James McRae taking a quick tap-and-go to barge over from five metres out before Honey slotted the conversion to cut the gap to three points at the interval.

Plymouth again made the faster start to the second period, only for Putt to miss a long-range penalty before Rams again reasserted themselves.

Yet they once more came up against superb defence, only for some dazzling footwork from Ollie Monye to free Ellis Jones to cross under the posts.

Honey landed a simple kick, but Rams again failed to exit properly, and Daly doubled his tally shortly after, Putt with the conversion to put his side back in front.

Man-of-the-match McRae then made a storming burst through the midfield before Axel Kalling-Smith was unable to take the pass with the line at his mercy, only for the Swedish international to make amends with six minutes remaining as he crossed superbly in clubhouse corner.

On this occasion Honey was off target, and another mistake from the restart allowed Putt to nudge his side a point in front.

However, there was one final twist in the tale as the visitors were pinged for not releasing, Honey with the coup de grace with a minute to go.

Rams 22–20 Plymouth Albion

Rams

Tries: McRae 40, Jones 58, Kalling-Smith 74

Conversions: Honey 40, 59

Penalty: Honey 79

Plymouth Albion

Tries: Daly 3, 61

Conversions: Putt 4, 62

Penalty: Putt 28, 77

Star Man: James McRae (Rams)

Referee: Owen Taylor

Attendance: 993

Rams

(15-9, 1-8) Bird, Matthews, Jones, Humberstone ©, Robson, Honey, Cole; Harris, Hayman (vc), Englezos, Stapley, Crame, Atkins, Everitt, McRae

Replacements: Scott, Marris, Baker, Monye, Kalling-Smith

Plymouth Albion

(15-9, 1-8) Duncan, Ratukadreu, Lowe, Hill, Wedlake, Jones, Putt; Pullinger, Mead, Davies, Chapman, Collier, Hodges, Daly, Howe

Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, Boughton, Clemson, Stone, Eastgate