RAMS Director of Rugby Seb Reynolds hailed ‘a brilliant game’ after his side edged out table-toppers Cinderford 22-20 in a fabulous National One encounter.
After Drew Humberstone and the visitors’ Liam Hemming exchanged earlier penalties, Ollie Taylor squeezed over on the right to put Rams on top before scores from front-row duo George Porter and Nathan Taylor gave the visitors a 13-8 half-time lead.
A frenzied Rams came out firing after the break, though, and thanks to a converted Henry Bird score and a penalty try, they went 22-13 up.
And despite Taylor’s 78th-minute effort, converted by Hemming, the hosts held on for a victory which was only the league leaders’ second reverse in 11 games.
And a delighted Reynolds said: “It was a brilliant game. It was a bit of a chess match in the first half, but it built and built and built in energy levels, intensity, from both sides and then under the lights as they began to close in, with the energy and atmosphere of the crowd you got a great finish.
“It was an arm-wrestle which could have gone either way and we’re chuffed because they are so good – it started as chess and turned into chequers.”
He continued: “They’re such a good side – you can’t switch off for a second and if you don’t maintain the discipline in the middle third the next thing you know you’ll be on your five-metre line conceding either a maul penalty, scrum penalty or penalty try.
“But they’ve also really upped what they do this year. They’ve got a fantastic set-piece, but they’re more than that – they’re a proper unit and their wingers are so dangerous.
“I thought we did very well combatting that and then our defensive energy was very good – in the second half we did a really good job of upping the ante and grabbing a couple of good scores.”
Despite trailing at the break, and with some of their early-season second-half performances not matching the first, Rams overturned the deficit and Reynolds was encouraged by the progress on show.
He said: “We’ve got a high-energy defence and we’re learning to go longer and longer into the game with it, which we did.
“At half-time we had plenty to give and we weren’t tired or fatigued – we didn’t look like we were trying to hold on and the players were very buoyant, looking like they were ready to add an extra zip.”
Bolstered by the return of experienced players including all-action hooker Ben Henderson and skipper Robbie Stapley, Rams held their nerve in the final quarter and Reynolds was quick to pay tribute to the duo, along with the likes of Tom Vooght, Jamie Guttridge and Ollie Cole.
He added: “The leadership unit have been doing it for a number of years now – Ben was outstanding for the Titans a couple of weeks ago so it was lovely to have him back in the side for 80 minutes.
“Robbie, after injury and not being able to train loads, I’m not quite sure how he does it, but he gets it done.”
And the DoR saved his final words for what proved to be something of a 16th man, said: “I hope people enjoyed it – the players are truly grateful for the support they get and especially when we come down towards the clubhouse.
“The energy, the cheers, the atmosphere all builds, and it helped to carry us over the line.”
