HAT-TRICK hero Connor Hayhow starred as Rams produced a magnificent display to overcome the early sending off of Jak Rossiter and record a stunning five-try 41-27 home win against Plymouth Albion.
The hosts started slowly, conceding a succession of penalties in their own 22, and deservedly fell behind to a brace of Connor Eastgate penalties.
However, they responded emphatically on the quarter-of-an-hour mark as Hayhow opened his account after barrelling over from close range following a strong rolling maul.
Drew Humberstone added the extras to put his side in front, but disaster then struck for Rams as Jak Rossiter was sent off having been ruled to have taken an opponent out in the air.
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The setback appeared to galvanise the home side, though, and Hayhow grabbed his second in almost carbon-copy fashion after cutting a fine line and powering over after the hosts’ scrum had their opponents in retreat.
Humberstone converted, and when he landed a penalty on the stroke of half-time, Rams led 17-6 at the interval.
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As the home pack went from strength to strength hooker Max Hayman touched down at the back of a maul, Humberstone again on target, but Albion replied with a penalty try awarded from a powerful one of their own.
With James Baker yellow carded Rams were down to 13, but they made light of that as Hayhow completed his hat-trick on the hour-mark and a penalty try from a scrum then made it 38-13 as the forwards’ endeavours were again rewarded.
Despite having substitute Dan Collier sin-binned Plymouth showed their resilience and grabbed a second try courtesy of scrum-half Henry Clement at the end of a flowing backs move, replacement Tom Putt swiftly drop-kicking the conversion.
Jake Clemson then went over and Putt added the extras almost immediately from the restart, but Rams had the final word as Humberstone completed an imperious kicking display by landing a penalty with the last action of the afternoon.
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