‘WE PULLED THROUGH AND GOT THE RESULT’: RAMS WIN AGAIN
RAMS gaffer Seb Reynolds said it wasn’t the ‘prettiest’ victory, as the side overcame Birmingham Moseley with a bonus point win.
Having fallen 14-0 down early on to a brace of converted Ryan Roach tries from the maul, Rams began to take control of possession and territory and crossed the whitewash twice before the break through Max Hayman and captain Robbie Stapley.
They continued to put pressure on their opponents throughout the third quarter. After hitting the front through Hayman’s second – added to by Rowan Grundy – Moseley hit back with an excellent Jide Ajayi score.
A Dan Lewis conversion pushed the Midlanders
21-17 in front, but with four minutes remaining, Hayman smashed his way over for a hat-trick and despite another home rally, Rams were able to see the game out for a seventh straight bonus-point victory.
The director of rugby said Birmingham deserved credit for their performance and the way they played.
“They took their chances early on and it gave them a decent lead,” Reynolds said.
“They also came back well towards the end when they scored a lovely multi-phase try which really got their crowd behind them.
“Any team which beats Cambridge and puts 40 points on Cinderford is a very good side, so we knew what was coming.
“We gave them a headstart which led to a tense fixture – probably not the prettiest.
“With all that being said, we came through it very well and it’s a sign we’ve got a good group of players.”
Having suffered the double early setback, Rams enjoyed the bulk of the play.
“On a different afternoon we perhaps could have been 15-20 points up at one stage,” Reynolds said.
“We had territorial pressure at the end of the first half before we coughed up the ball on their line, and the same in the second where we gave away a freekick, lost field position and then they scored.
“If you knew every week you were going to take your chances and it would be plain sailing there’d be no point playing the game because it would be boring, but (in National One) wherever you go you could lose.
“We’re just glad we pulled through and got the result.”
“Our bench really added to the game, Paul Englezos added energy, Connor Stapley did well, and the halfback change just triggered something.
“It’s always tricky doing that, but I thought Rowan (Grundy) was good bringing the ball to the line and getting runners into the game.”
The last of the substitutes, hooker Ollie Moffitt, celebrated his 50th cap off the bench and Reynolds ended by praising both him and starting No. 2, hat-trick hero Hayman.
“Max has kicked on again and it’s what we hoped he’d do when he came across from Newbury (in 2019), so in many ways he’s just doing what
I thought he would,”
Reynolds said.
Rams are back at Old Bath Road next Saturday as Leeds Tykes visit for the third-last home contest of the season (3pm).