The ill-disciplined visitors trailed 16-0 at half-time and, despite a better second half performance and cutting the deficit to 16-5 early on, Weston’s overall superiority up front proved too much for Rams.

Both sides ended with 14 men with Rams prop James Baker unlucky to be red carded after referee Sara Cox’s dubious decision to penalise him a second time for entering a ruck on the wrong side while Weston flanker Paul Morrissey followed him to the bench soon after.

It left frustrated Rams skipper and lock Owen Root very unhappy at his sides performance afterwards that saw them drop to fifth in the table.
He said: “You can’t expect to give away an unforgivable amount of penalties in the first half and expect to be in touch, but they are a good side and you learn your lesson there or be punished again.

“There were certain redeeming features in that the boys kept working and were not submissive in any way but, today, we weren’t good enough. Our penalty count was poor and we must learn from that as it’s not good enough at the standard we are playing.”

Rams made a lively start and could have been 3-0 up after just four minutes but full back Guy Swadling’s penalty kick hit the upright and bounced off on the wrong side of the post to deny them the games opening score.

That came on 16 minutes after Bakers’s first yellow card and from a dangerous Weston five-metre scrum that the Rams pack just couldn’t stop from rumbling forward and which set up No.8 George Sparks to muscle his way over for the touchdown.

And it was Sparks, a somewhat doubtful starter to within 30 minutes of kick-off, who grabbed Weston’s second on the half-hour when, after Rams had been penalised for pulling down a line-out close to their own line, Weston opted for a scrum and Sparks was again able to crash over for his second, unconverted, try and a 10-0 lead.

While fly half James McKay had missed with his two conversion attempts he was spot on with a 38th minute penalty effort after the visitors had strayed offside at a ruck and then kicked a second to end the half with his side 16-0 ahead.

While the Weston retired to their dressing room at half time and took the full 10 minutes to return Rams stayed out on the park, amidst some strong words from both players and coaching staff alike, and it appeared to have worked with Rams scoring after just three minutes of the opening whistle.

Lock Tom Bryson took the restart ball off-loading to flanker Ollie Randall who drove into the home side territory. Baker, Chandler, loose-head prop Chris Betts, along with Swadling and scrum half Will Clark, all lent a hand before finally earning a penalty that Chandler opted to put to touch for a five-metre line-out.
Bryson’s take made it secure and with Baker in support they finally lunged their way over the Weston line for Baker to touchdown and narrow the gap to 16-5.

Unfortunately Swadling’s 32 metre conversion from out wide drifted to the right of the posts.

Encouraged by their start Rams again swept back into the home sides half only to concede a penalty while close to the line that Weston were glad to bang into touch and finally relieve the pressure.

And on 50 minutes the home side had increased their lead when Baker was done for going in at the side of a ruck and McKay made no mistake with his spot kick to put his side 19-5 ahead.

Baker’s supposed second offence at the breakdown saw his 54th minute departure before, almost immediately, tempers frayed on both sides and a major brawl, following a smaller skirmish, erupted resulting in a yellow card for Weston centre Harry Jones and a red card for flanker Paul Morrissey.

While Rams worked hard to cut the deficit silly mistakes cost them dear at crucial times and, with the game reduced to uncontested scrums following Rams hooker Rory Paxton’s injury late in the game, they conceded a further try to end the match.

Still trying to attack from deep a Swadling pass was unfortunately intercepted by wing Paul Sprague who sprinted in unopposed from 30 metres and McKay’s conversion ended the match.

As Rams centre Nigel Gumbleton conceded honestly afterwards: “I think it was ill-discipline to be honest. We didn’t really manage the ref very well. She was clear to us and we just didn’t listen at times. They didn’t outplay us but we just didn’t take our chances.

“It was disappointing we would have liked to win today
to get us third but we’ll push for next season now and, hopefully, keep the core of the boys together.

“This is our first season together basically as we lost a lot of players and, I think, we’ve done pretty well to be honest. A couple of mistakes have lost us games and if we didn’t make those mistakes we could have been second or third this time.”

Rams – Guy Swadling; Joe Grindle, Josh Smith, Nigel Gumbleton, Roy Wilkinson; Michael Chandler, Will Clark; Chris Betts, Rory Paxton, James Baker; Owen Root (c), Tom Bryson; Ollie Randall, Andries Steenkamp, Ian Jeffreys. Reps (all used) – Mike Fisher, Mike Weedon, Chris Emmett.

Report By Steve Williams