The hosts made a dream start as they won their own kick-off and then a penalty, a maul stopped before the ball was sent down the line for Oli Rhoads to cross on the left.
Mike Cooke’s conversion attempt struck the left-hand post, but Plymouth replied with a Frankie Dart penalty after their opponents were caught off-side in front of the uprights.
And the visitors then moved in front after winning a turnover in midfield – Albion going through a few phases before the ball was thrown wide for Shea Cornish to finish out right.
Plymouth pull clear
Dart was unable to add the extras, and a pivotal moment arrived early in the second quarter.
Rams looked set to regain the lead as their maul hurtled towards the line, but after failing to finish it, two penalties allowed Albion to head to the other end of the pitch, man-of-the-match Iwan Jenkins scything through in midfield for a converted score.
The hosts had a chance at the end of the opening 40 minutes as Luke Graham fly-hacked the ball down the right touchline, but he was just unable to regather it in Clubhouse Corner before the half-time whistle was blown.
Plymouth extended their lead following a moment of magic from Jenkins, early in the second period, the fly-half chipping ahead, booting the ball further forward and then regaining it to dive under the posts.
Dart knocked over the kick for 22-5, and a bizarre fourth try arrived on 53 minutes when Joel Broadhurst touched down at the back of a Rams ruck – the back row powering through to ground the ball.
Rhoads gives hosts short-lived hope
The hosts gave themselves a lifeline soon after as Rhoads doubled up following a spell of sustained pressure, but Albion shut things down with a Cornish seven-pointer midway through the final quarter effectively putting the game to bed.
Rams refused to give in, though, and scored a deserved third try when Zach Clow’s fine off-load allowed Rhoads to race down the left for his maiden first-team hat-trick.
It proved merely a consolation, though, the hosts knocking on before time was called.
Rams travel to Leicester Lions next Saturday (2pm).
Summary
Final Score: Rams 15–34 Plymouth Albion (Half Time: 5-15)
Scorers
Rams
Tries: Rhoads 2, 58, 77
Plymouth Albion
Tries: Cornish 15, 69, Jenkins 26, 43, Broadhurst 53
Conversions: Dart 27, 44, 70
Penalty: Dart 13
Star Man: Iwan Jenkins (Plymouth Albion)
Referee: Ben Rayner
Attendance: 843
Rams
(15-9, 1-8) Clow, Graham, Grundy, MacRae, Rhoads, Cooke, Hoadley; Harris, Hayman ©, Baker, Stapley, Elston, Tull, Atkins, Bicknell
Replacements: Marris, Lomas, Brown, Lamb, Hodgson
Plymouth Albion
(15-9, 1-8) Dart, Cornish, Stewart, Hill, Wigginton, Jenkins, Oulton ©; Boughton, Wilkinson, Bishop, Stevenson, Beckerleg, Broadhurst, Sheppard, Hodges
Replacements: Williams, Pullinger, Clemson, Legg, Raivalitia
