Rams turn on power to see off challenge of Juddians
RAMS made it two bonus-point victories in a row as they defeated a stubborn visiting Tonbridge Juddians side at a sun-kissed Bath Road.
After a lively start to proceedings from the visitors, Seb Reynolds’ men gradually took control as their pack gained the upper hand.
They opened the scoring with the award of a penalty try after Tonbridge had infringed at the set-piece three times in a row on their own five-metre line.
With visiting loosehead prop Alex Reid also sin-binned, Rams made their numerical advantage count and moved further ahead shortly afterwards.
Firstly, they turned over a TJs scrum and, after blasting away from close range a couple of times, the outstanding Ben Henderson managed to force himself over the line.
Drew Humberstone’s conversion made it 14-0 to the hosts.
Tonbridge rallied, however, and managed to get themselves on the scoreboard when fly-half Tom White bisected the uprights with a 30-metre penalty from in front of the posts.
Yet Rams reasserted their dominance almost immediately and set up camp in the opposition’s 22.
A succession of penalties followed before White became the second TJs player to be yellowcarded.
Rams moved further ahead when their scrum again marched the away side back before Ollie Cole scooped up the ball and scampered over the line. Humberstone was unable to add the extras, however, and it was Juddians who had the last word in the opening 40 minutes, with stand-in kicker Harvey Young landing a penalty to cut the deficit to 13 points at the interval.
The third quarter of the game proved something of a tepid affair, with both sides defending well but making mistakes, and it took until the 67th minute for Rams to wrap up their bonus point.
Having been denied shortly before when Henry Bird collected a deft Humberstone chip
ahead only to be stopped just short, a similar play resulted in the fourth try when Connor Hayhow collected a bouncing ball and got over the line – with the move having been initiated by a brilliant Tom Vooght turnover.
Gutsy TJs refused to buckle, though, and they had the final say late in the match when finally breaching the superb Rams defence.
Having punched a couple of holes in the opposition ranks, they managed to get within striking distance of the hosts’ try line.
Winger Tom Chapman then cut a nice line to dot down under the posts from close range.
White slotted the conversion to reduce the deficit to 11 points.
Sensing the possibility of a losing bonus point for their afternoon’s efforts, TJs attacked again from deep and managed to break into the Rams’ 22. However, despite setting up a maul which got over the line, the visitors were held up and Humberstone’s clever goalline drop-out bounced once before heading into touch on the right-hand side.
That proved to be the final act of the afternoon’s festivities.