Rams flew out of the traps in their first ever game against Guernsey to score twice in 10 minutes courtesy of Man of the Match, Andrew Denham and Full-Back, Joe Duffelen.

Further touch-downs followed as the Reading men put on a near faultless opening display to the delight of a large home crowd. Tries from Jamie Gutteridge, scrum-half Miles Lloyd and Jak Rossiter helped give their team a 36:0 advantage at the breach.

The second-half started similar to the first with the flying Denham getting his second of the afternoon on the 43rd minute to take his side’s tally to 41 unanswered points.

Rams took their total to 48 on the 50th minute courtesy of a piece of pure magic from stalwart Andrew Amor, making his first appearance of the season in his 27th year with the Club. Amor showed why he is one of the most skilled products of Rams’ Youth Section when he transferred the ball with lightning speed to give blind-side flanker James Page a gift under the posts on his first start of the season.

But the next 30 minutes belonged to the visitors who capitalised on a rare Rams’ mistake on the 59th minute to give number 8 Matt Creber a score which Guernsey 15 Alex Gow converted. Gow was on target for his 2nd conversion of the afternoon just 3 minutes later when Malcolm Barnes grabbed another score for the Islanders to make the score 48:14.

Guernsey were encouraged by the prospect of a 4-try bonus point and assaulted the Rams’ line for the rest of the game. Were it not for the now trade mark Rams’ stonewall defence, that is the work of Defence Coach Danny Batty, the away side may have flown home with an extra league point.
Commenting after the game Rams’ Head Coach Seb Reynolds said “we were very good for the first 50 minutes of the game and then Guernsey showed why they have won their last 2 matches. There are no bad teams in this league, you slip from your best at your peril because you are instantaneously punished for it”. Forwards Coach Owen Root also paid tribute to the Islanders, saying “we knew Guernsey have an organised pack and I asked the boys to stop their catch-and-drive in its tracks, which they did. I was also pleased that despite making lots of changes among the forwards, we delivered a good win against a very dangerous opposition”.

Rams welcome Tonbridge Juddians to Old Bath Road this Saturday. Kick-off at 2.30pm.