MATCH REPORT: RAMS STUN ROSSLYN AT THE DEATH

A LAST-MINUTE penalty try helped Rams snatch a sensational 38-34 National One home victory against Rosslyn Park.

The visitors made a blistering start as try machine Luke Mehson raced 60 metres down the left for a first-minute opener.

And they were 12-0 up inside five minutes as Lochie Glackin converted a Freddie Vaughan try, Park stripping the ball in midfield before breaking away.

Rams hit back, however, a powerful maul getting them on the front foot before debutant wing Oli Sedgwick finished smartly on the right, Ross McKay adding a super kick.

The hosts dominated the following stages, but were hit with a double counter-punch midway through the second quarter.

Firstly, prop George Orchard slipped a couple of tackles to run in from halfway, Glackin adding the extras.

And then some more sharp hands allowed Mehson to double his tally out wide.

Yet Rams rallied with two key seven-pointers in the final two minutes before the break.

The outstanding Ellis Jones punched a hole in midfield before a fine off-load sent Mikey Duda next to the uprights.

McKay slotted the conversion and then repeated the trick after running in an interception score from 35 metres out.

They made a disastrous start to the second period, however, Mehson completing his treble with a simple finish for 29-21.

But Rams responded well again, a clever close-range line-out seeing the ball flicked back to Max Marshall to burrow over.

McKay was off target for the first time, but with the arrears reduced to three, Park then had Danny Cutmore yellow carded.

However, they held firm despite their numerical disadvantage and regained their two-score lead with 10 minutes remaining as Max Wheeler barged over.

Rams struck back immediately through Matt Blee, though, before the latest of drama.

With the hosts five metre sout, scrum-half Matt Wickham’s pass was deliberately knocked on by Mehson to deny Axel Kalling-Smith in Clubhouse Corner, the hat-trick hero sin-binned and Rams in front.

And the Berkshire boys then safely reclaimed the restart before winning a penalty, the final whistle blown as Old Bath Road erupted.

In a different way, yet with the same outcome, history repeated itself from the first game between the sides way back in November 2019.

A penalty try deciding the outcome.

Rams travel to Birmingham Moseley next Saturday (3pm).

Final Score: Rams 38–34 Rosslyn Park

Scorers