Redingensians Rams 52 Malvern 23

Its cements Rams fourth place in the table and puts them in good heart to travel to Exmouth next Saturday for their re-arranged match with the third placed Devon side who are currently six points ahead of them and with a game in hand.

And Rams, with both prop Ross Crame and hooker Russell Hodges deputising for injured regulars in the front-row having strong games, certainly never looked like losing last Saturday’s match easing to an 19-9 interval lead and then storming, 38-9, ahead before their visitors could hit back with two converted tries.

As delighted skipper Owen Root commented afterwards: “We had a huge amount of changes but the boys reacted very well and came out and put a performance in. We played with confidence regardless of the changes, and, fair-play to the boys that came in for stepping up and putting in that performance.”

Root, in fact, had a hand in Rams opening fifth minute try when ball from his drive off a ruck was taken on by hard-working prop James Baker and Guy Swadling before centre Steve Bryant sent Grindle flying in at the left-hand corner for his first, unconverted, try.

Although the visitors hit back almost immediately from scrum half Tom Redfern’s penalty, 5-3, Rams grabbed their second try on 23 minutes when good driving work, yet again from Baker, paved the way for Smith to score out wide and bring out a fine conversion from Guy Swadling.
Again Redfern replied immediately with his second penalty before kicking his side to within three points, 12-9, on 34 minutes with a cracking third place kick.

But, into injury time, Rams pressure again broke the visitors resilience when, off another Root won line-out take, No. 8 Ian Jefferies drove over in the left-hand corner and graced by another massive wide-angled conversion from Swadling.

Leading 19-9 at the break Rams piled on the agony scoring from the opening whistle of the second half when Guy Swadling’s mazey run carved the visitors open from 40 metres out for a score that deserved a conversion but never got.

But he made no mistake converting a 53rd minute try from brother and full back Simon before adding the extras to Smith’s second and steer his side to a 38-9 lead after 58 minutes.

Although it signalled a mini revival from the visitors with both centre Ryan Watkins and flanker Nick Miller running in Redfern converted tries Rams went for the jugular and produced two more touchdowns before the end.

The first, from a neat chip over the visitor’s defence, for Grindle to run on too and grab his second and, into injury time, when new boy and replacement Chris Emmett scored on his Rams debut.

Guy Swadling converted both to edge within 22 points of becoming Rams highest ever points scorer in a season.

And ex Henley Wanderer Emmett said afterwards: “I’m pretty happy, I haven’t played a game since Christmas time so I’ve got a bit of work on my fitness that needs to be done, but it was nice to have a little run in for a try there and help the guys to a good win.”

It was certainly a good day too for wing Josh Smith who followed up his brace against Maidenhead the week before with two more on Saturday to put him level with Joe Duffelen as the team’s leading try scorer with nine this season before being substituted.

“It was a good win we scored some good tries out wide but we need to keep our concentration now and we’ve got to be ruthless next week against Exmouth,” he summed up afterwards. “Hopefully I can score a few more tries and it was a shame I came off on Saturday as I think that I could have scored another one in the corner.”

Rams: Simon Swadling, Matt Grindle, Steve Bryant, Nigel Gumbleton, Josh Smith; Guy Swadling, Will Clark; Ross Crame, Russell Hodges, James Baker; Owen Root (c), Conor Stapley; Tom Bryson, Rudal Aiono, Ian Jefferies. Reps all used - Andrew Amor, Chris Emmett, Roy Willkinson.

Report By Steve Williams