The visitors started brightly but fell behind when an interception on the Park try-line allowed the Londoners to go the length-of-the-field for a superb score – Charlie Walker hoovering up Josh Bragman’s chip ahead before some wonderful hands sent Craig Stevenson over on the left.

Bragman’s conversion attempt drifter wide right, but the home side came into the contest, particularly in the final 10 minutes of the first half, and Rams’ Henry Bird was yellow carded for a high tackle five metres from his own line.

Park took advantage despite some dogged defence, and led 10-0 at the interval s Tom Stanton also dotted down on the left.

The visitors again started the second half brightly, but they suffered a major setback when a loose ball in midfield was fly-hacked forward by Benji Marfo, the wing gathering the ball to cross before Bragman extended the advantage.

Rams had shown flashes of quality throughout, and after Matt Gordon was sin-binned for an identical offence to Bird’s, they gave themselves hope when Hayman powered over at the back of a surging maul.

The extras were added by Fraser Honey, and with Rams coming on strong it took some sensational defence to keep them at bay after wave after wave of attacks on the goal-line.

However, referee Ben Rayner’s patience eventually went and Bragman – possibly in a case of mistaken identity – was carded after another penalty within the five-metre line.

Park, cleared, though, and went down the field before a moment of magic brought Rams within a score.

It was replacement Calum Scott – whose significant impact earned him man-of-the-match honours – who was the creator, the hooker, playing in the back row, showing a blistering turn of foot to scorch 40 metres down the left before his inside ball sent Zach Clow over next to the posts.

The conversion made it 17-14, but Park looked they might have escaped when holding Hayman up over the line with 10 seconds remaining.
The visitors kept coming, though, and won a penalty after fielding the drop-out.

Turning down the chance to draw they went to the corner, and with a vociferous away support urging them on, a 12-man maul bundled over with Hayman the beneficiary.

Honey slotted the kick, the full-time whistle went, and Rams had pulled off another extraordinary turnaround to match the effort at Cambridge some 12 months before.