SEB Reynolds admitted Rams’ final-day 61-40 National One home win against Sedgley Park was for the fans.
The hosts ended an up-and-down season in seventh place, taking control early on as Mike Cooke converted tries from Max Marshall, captain Willo Bicknell and Andrew Lamb.
Tigers hit back as Josh Ree added to his own try and one from Jacob Tansey, but it was 35-14 at the interval thanks to seven-pointers from Bicknell and Lamb.
Sedgley refused to lie down, though, and grabbed two of their own.
Ree firstly doubled up before Tom Hesketh crossed the whitewash.
Marshall’s second was followed by Adam Mallinson going over, Ree on target for a five-point game.
But the hosts responded with Zach Clow dotting down in Clubhouse Corner before man-of-the-match Bicknell completed his maiden Rams’ treble.
A Rhys Henderson effort left Park 54-40 down with 11 minutes to play, but Aaron Tull and Cooke’s boot added security and a gloss to the scoreline.
Reflecting on a fun afternoon in the sun, Reynolds began: “I said before the game about how I thought it might go, and it certainly did.
“We played some brilliant rugby, some frustrating rugby, and sometimes we forced things a little bit.
“They probably feel they were the same.
“What it meant was a bit of a crazy game – we kept moving away from them only for Sedgley to come back – but thankfully we got the win.”
He continued: “They never gave up and we gave them nice opportunities not to give up!
“Sedgley have got quality players and if you take your foot of the gas they’ll make you pay.
“They’ve been amazing at this level for a few years, and while they go back down to National Two, I’m sure they’ll bounce back.
“They’ve had injuries but have a lot of quality young talent, and the game time they’ve got will make them all the better for it.”
Turning his attention to the outstanding Bicknell, who took his tally to 10 tries in 25 appearances in his first Old Bath Road campaign, the DoR could not have been happier.
He said: “He’s been amazing since he came here.
“He’s stepped up, added to the group and shown instant leadership qualities.
“His intensity is phenomenal – even in the down times during a game Willo is driving the team forward.
“He’s going to be a tremendous asset for (captain) Max (Hayman) next year and the side will be better for it.”
It was also a poignant day for retiree Connor Stapley, the two-time promotion winner who earned his 145th and final cap.
Reynolds added: “For Connor the fairytale is you have your retirement year with success, sadly it was almost never going to be the case.
“But he’s brought so much to training every single week and in matches, chasing anything down, making those physical chop tackles.
“He puts his body on the line for what’s been a mid-table finish and the boys were fighting for him.”
And along with Stapley, the Head Coach ended by stating why it was equally important to pick up the victory for another group.
He closed: “It was very important we won.
“We didn’t want to put undue pressure on the lads, but we had a lot of supporters who are wanting the best for the team (both now and moving forwards).
“They’ve been very patient with us all season, have stayed with us through the frustrations and we wanted to send them on their way with something.”
