RAMS Colts survived a major scare before opening their National Cup campaign with a hard-fought 19-10 victory at Marlow.

Having enjoyed a superb run to the semi-finals last season, the visitors were behind with 15 minutes remaining before ultimately pulling the win out of the fire.

The opening half proved a stop-start affair with an abundance of penalties and free-kicks being conceded by both sides, primarily Rams, with the nearest opportunity going to the visitors when Luke Thorpe hacked a dropped ball in midfield to withing a couple of metres of the line, only for his team to be unable to finish the job.

With heavy rain in the previous couple of days making the surface a little greasy, it was Marlow who took the lead early in the second half, impressive inside centre Ashton Phillips scything through the Rams’ defence for a try he then added to.

The away side replied almost immediately, however, working their way through the phases before Obi Nwachuku was able to burrow over with a close-range pick-and-go.

Matt Cox’s conversion attempt hit the post, and the visitors slipped further behind after they were again pinged for a high tackle, Phillips making no mistake with a 30-metre kick to push his men 10-5 in front.

Despite being on the wrong end of the penalty count throughout, Rams – superbly led by captain Aaron Preston – generally maintained their composure and fought back with another short-yard score, Nwachuku’s fellow prop Mason Pennington this time the finisher.

Cox added the extras to nudge his side into a two-point lead, and they were close to extending the advantage as Jordan Navetta surged down the left, only for an incredible cover tackle to deny the full-back a try.

The visitors did, however, grab a third, another one for the forwards as Jayden Benham blasted over from a couple of metres out for a score converted by Cox.

A further gloss was nearly added to the tally as Thorpe burst down the right, only for another sensational tackle to deny him a moment of glory.

It mattered not, though, full-time being called shortly after as Rams set up a second-round trip to old rivals Chinnor on Sunday, October 6, the Thame men having defeated Aylesbury 34-8 to secure their spot in the last 64.