RAMS made it a perfect 10 National One wins to start the campaign as they won an epic war with Blackheath 33-14.

The visitors were all over the Berkshire men in the early stages, pinning them in their own 22 and twice being held up over the line as Tom Ffitch also missed a 35-metre penalty.

Rams nearly landed a sucker-punch as Tomek Pozniak’s inside ball went forward on the whitewash, but they came on strong and hit the front with a brilliant line-out move.

A short throw to the superb Robbie Stapley saw the No. 8 charge forward, and his off-load was finished by Max Hayman for his 11th of the season just after the half-hour.

Fraser Honey slotted the extras before Rowan Grundy’s glorious cross-field kick was taken by Solodrau Radianirova, the Army ace timing his pass perfectly to send Zach Clow over from halfway.

The conversion made it 14-0 at the break, but Club struck back at the start of the second period, Tom Everard crossing from close range before Ffitch cut the deficit to seven points.

Rams responded immediately though, a huge maul finished by Stapley as he again extended his club record haul to 105 tries.

Honey’s kick missed right, and Blackheath stayed in the game as some superb interplay saw Noah Sloot cross next to the posts.

Ffitch landed the extras, Honey then hitting the post with a long-range penalty before the hosts secured the bonus-point.

Another strong maul was halted just short, but replacement Morgan MacRae again showed his nose for the line by spotting a gap and diving over on the left with 10 minutes remaining.

A magnificent Honey touchline strike made it 26-14, and the home side put the game to bed as the brilliant Radianirova cut a glorious line to scythe through in midfield and dot down under the posts for another converted score.

Blackheath continued to push, though, and it took a turnover penalty in the hosts’ 22 to finally finish the job.

Rams travel to Rotherham Titans next Saturday (2pm).

Final Score: Rams 33-14 Blackheath

Scorers

Rams

Tries: Hayman 32, Clow 36, Stapley 51, MacRae 70, Radianirova 75

Conversions: Honey 33, 37, 71, 76

Blackheath

Tries: Everard 44, Sloot 64

Conversions: Ffitch 45, 64

Star Man: Dan Swain (Rams)

Referee: Jamie Parr

Attendance: 747

Rams

(15-9, 1-8) Clow, Graham, Radianirova, Grundy, Pozniak, Honey, Cole; Marris, Hayman ©, Lomas, Dacres, Swain, McRae, Vooght, R Stapley

Replacements: Harris, Baker, MacRae, Lamb, Hodgson

Blackheath

(15-9, 1-8) Slowik, Lloyd, Hirskyj-Douglas, Burcham, Hennessey, Ffitch, Burns; Davis, Harding, Marsh, Etete, Everard, Smart, Sloot, Baldwin ©

Replacements: Walliker, Holland, Boye, Armstrong, Cavubati