MATCH REPORT: RAMS BATTLE TO RICHMOND DOUBLE

RAMS edged a feisty final National One home game of the season as they overcame Richmond 19-13 at Old Bath Road.

Both sides showed intent in an opening quarter where the defences were on top, but it was the away side who took the lead thanks to a Lewis Dennett penalty earned following a maul being brought down, debutant Mikey Duda sin-binned for his troubles.

A couple of niggly off-the-ball incidents saw both captains spoken to – Richmond skipper and former Ram Dave Massey himself involved in one which saw a penalty reversed.

The hosts lost Ben Atkins to injury before Richmond moved further in front, another maul this time going over the line with hooker Callum Torpey the man to get the ball down.

Trailing 8-0 at the break, Rams made a dream start to the second period as the teenage Duda, who enjoyed an eye-catching debut, peeled off a maul before just about stretching over the try-line.

Fraser Honey landed a superb conversion to cut the gap to a single point, but Richmond responded almost immediately, a rinse-and-repeat of their opening effort again finished by Torpey.

In front of an all-time record crowd of 1,252, Rams gave the majority of the supporters something to cheer as they grabbed a second score, Dennett sin-binned for a high shot in midfield before Max Hayman collected a 25th of the campaign as he stormed off a maul and bounced a couple of defenders to power over.

Despite losing Ant Marris to a yellow card, the hosts began to gain control as the contest progressed, but they had to wait until the start of the final quarter to hit the front, Rams hammering away at the line before the ball was eventually shipped wide for Charlie Robson to race in.

Honey landed an even better second conversion to make it 19-13, and the home side poured on the pressure as they sought a bonus-point.

A first five-metre line-out did not go to hand before Richmond hand a sniff at the other end, Alex O’Meara’s chip ahead running dead.

An unseemly tussle in the dugout led to Robson being sin-binned and Dennett receiving a second yellow, subsequently a red.

The hosts had another five-metre shot in front of clubhouse corner, but again Richmond stopped the maul before full-time was called.

Elsewhere, Chinnor wrapped up the title with a convincing 52-0 away win at Birmingham Moseley.

Final Score: Rams 19-13 Richmond (HT 0-8)

Scorers

Rams

Tries: Duda 42, Hayman 53, Robson 62

Conversions: Honey 43, 63

Richmond

Tries: Torpey 34, 45

Penalty: Dennett 25

Star Man: Rowan Grundy (Rams)

Referee: Matt Sharpe

Attendance: 1,252

Rams

(15-9, 1-8) Clow, Bird, Jones, Grundy, Robson, Honey ©, Hoadley, Harris, Hayman (vc), Lomas, C Stapley, Swain, Atkins, Duda, Hoyt

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

Richmond

(15-9, 1-8) O’Meara, Cadogan, Obonna, Massey, Burne, Dennett, Butler; Maggs, Torpey, Mpiko, Murphy, Nugent, Monson, Saysell, Wakeling
Replacements: Wills, Spring, Breeze, Marsh, Burrage