A STUNNING first-quarter blitz inspired RAMS to a 43-21 bonus-point victory on an entertaining afternoon at Darlington Mowden Park, nudging them to the top of the National One table.
The hosts missed an early chance to take the lead as Matt Minogue’s 40-metre penalty drifted just right of the posts, and it was RAMS who then went down the other end to get their noses in front.
A line-out steal precipitated the visitors going through the phases, and some lovely handling saw the returning Tarek Haffar touch down on the right, Alex Seers with a magnificent conversion.
The lead was doubled almost immediately as livewire scrum-half Ollie Allan spotted a gap to race 60 metres for a birthday score, Seers making no mistake for 14-0.
Things got even better when more fabulous handling ended with Axel Kalling-Smith crossing on the left, Seers with another beautiful kick, and the visitors sealed the bonus with a try-of-the-season contender.
James McRae started it with a marvellous break from his own 22 to his opponents, and Seers’ majestic cross-field kick was collected by Kalling-Smith for a beauty.
The conversion made it 28-0 inside the opening 20 minutes, but DMP hit back straight away after the visitors failed to regain the restart, some fine work ending with Chris McTurk on the left.
Minogue landed the extras, and he did the same again after Henry Hadfield’s excellent individual score saw him burst through a couple of would-be tackles to touch down by the posts.
However, RAMS rallied and Seers strolled over to give the visitors a 33-14 half-time advantage, only blighted by a Will Partington yellow card for an infringement inside his own five metres.
The lead was extended early in the second period as Connor Hayhow cut a beautiful line to take a Robbie Stapley pass and charge over on the left, Allan’s conversion from out wide rebounding off the right-hand post.
Darlington continued to battle, though, and claimed their third try when impressive inside centre Ben Frankland burst through before freeing Callum Pascoe for a simple run-in.
Another Minogue conversion cut the gap to 38-21, but RAMS reasserted their control as a delightful Partington grubber kick was hoovered up by Jak Rossiter to dive over for his 15th try of a productive campaign.
As the game wore on it finally lost some of its pace, the away side seeing the contest out despite Mowden Park putting them under some pressure late in the piece.
By Richard Ashton
