Rams’ overseas trip to Guernsey couldn’t have come at a better time as they left behind the Arctic weather ravaging southern England for warmer climes in the Channel Islands. And the visitors made good use of the sun and an excellent pitch to clock-up 9 tries against a gutsy Raiders’ team that was depleted by injuries.

Jamie Guttridge opened the Rams account after just 2 minutes with Seers slotting the extras. And with Rams’ backs and forwards linking-up in lively fashion, the afternoon became a difficult one for the home side.

By half time the men from Reading had secured a try bonus point and they added 5 more tries in the 2nd half to finish with a 59 points tally, their biggest to date in National 2.

The Guernsey crowd applauded a lot of the visitors’ good work, but the biggest cheer of the afternoon was reserved for the 62nd minute when home favourite and star tight head prop Layton Batiste, crossed the whitewash to finish off some good work from his team and fly-half Owen Thomas added the extras.

Rams Head Coach, Seb Reynolds, was pleased with his team’s showing but played down any suggestions that with 9 games to go and a 16 point lead, the title was in the bag “anyone who thinks we are a certainty for promotion just doesn’t understand this level” said Reynolds, who went on to pay tribute to Rams’ hosts and the other teams in the league “what people have to understand is that we were very, very good today and showed that we have a strong handling game to back-up an excellent set-piece, but Guernsey were not at full strength so you have to take that into consideration. Next week we have to visit Tonbridge Juddians who are having a great season and have delivered some brilliant results. They are chasing promotion too, so it’s another tough encounter, and if we drop our standards, we will lose – it really is as simple as that”.

Rams’ game away to Tonbridge Juddians this Saturday, 9th February, kicks off at 2.30pm.
Rams will be running an additional coach for travelling supporters.

Rams Try scorers: Guttridge -2; Corrigan - 2; Illingworth; Duffelen; Nightingale; Henderson; Crame
Rams Conversions: Seers - 5; Humberstone - 2
Guernsey Try Scorer:Batiste
Guernsey Penalty:Thomas