MATCH REPORT: BRILLIANT BIRD HAT-TRICK HALTS HEATHENS

HENRY Bird scored a brilliant hat-trick and club legend Jez Flynn was also on the scoresheet at Rams Titans hit back to beat Blackheath Heathens (2nd XV) 37-21.

It was an eighth straight Raging Bull Shield Division One triumph for the joint leaders, but they fell behind inside two minutes for the second time in as many games, Todd Revell crossing on the right before Matt Dalrymple added the extras.

Titans replied at the end of the first quarter, Bird cutting a sublime line to take a well-weighted Drew Humberstone pass and scorch over out wide, but Club were next to cross from close range.

Dalrymple was again on target for 14-5, but the ebb-and-flow nature of the contest continued as Ollie Moffitt rode over at the back of a juggernaut home maul to trim the deficit again.

Blackheath responded again, however, the visitors this time showcasing the power of their five-metre set-piece with a try once again added to by Dalrymple.

Trailing 21-10 at the interval, Titans signalled their intent early in the second period as a monstrous scrum won the ball against the head on the Club’ 22, Tom Humberstone then spinning out of a tackle to make a couple of yards before throwing a long pass to Stevie Bryant to send Bird over in the right-hand corner.

The home scrum was beginning to become dominant, and Titans collected their try bonus-point as it walked Blackheath to a metre of their line, scrum-half Flynn – making his first appearance for the side since pre-Covid times at the ripe old age of 47 – dotting down for 21-20.

Rams moved in front for the first time 10 minutes later with a stunning length-of-the-field effort, Club overthrowing a line-out before Fijian Army duo Solodrau Radianirova and Semesa Coalala combined to send Stevie Bryant from 20 metres out, the centre showing trademark power to get over the line.

Breathing room was acquired at the start of the final quarter, a moment of magnificent skill from Flynn seeing him deftly place a grubber kick through for Bird to collect on the right, the hat-trick hero finishing his treble by beating four men from 40 metres out to touchdown under the posts.

Drew Humberstone took over kicking duties to land his side’s first of the contest, and they added a final try with the final play as replacement hooker Brad Clements peeled off a maul to dive over.

Victory leaves Titans level with Richmond Vikings (2nd XV) at the head of the table, although the Londoners have a game in hand.

Titans next league game is at home to Ampthill 1881s on Saturday, April 6.