CONNOR Hayhow grabbed his fourth Rams’ hat-trick as the hosts maintained their perfect start to the National One season with a comfortable 40-15 success against 14-man Darlington Mowden Park.

It was the away side who drew first blood when a beautiful 50-22 gave them field position before the ball was spun wide for Ollie Walker to touch down on the left.

However, Rams replied swiftly as man-of-the-match Ollie Cole took a quick tap penalty before sprinting in from 40 metres out, and things got even worse for the northerners in the 26th minute, prop James Crickmay red carded for making contact with the head of Paul Englezos in midfield.

Rams hit the front almost immediately afterwards as Hayhow blasted over from close range, Cole’s fine pass setting up the chance after a powerful rolling maul had been halted just short of the line.

Ali Ledingham missed a 35-metre penalty for the visitors shortly after, and Rams grabbed their third via a Hayhow interception just after the half-hour as their suffocating defence forced an error from DMP in midfield.

Leading 19-5 at the interval, Rams secured their try bonus-point early in the second period as some fine hands from Cole, Drew Humberstone and Hayhow ended with the in-form Jak Rossiter diving over for his eighth of the campaign.

The hosts moved further in front on 47 minutes when Vince Everitt collected the fifth from close range following a period of pressure, Seers adding the extras for 33-5.

However, Park hit back when some sloppy Rams defence allowed Ledingham over on the right, his side having benefitted from a number of missed tackles in a move which started just outside their own 22.

This gave the 14 men hope, and they continued to throw the ball around, camping for a short time near the Rams line.

Yet some more solid defence repelled their attacks, and with Rams really getting on top at the scrum – twice they pushed their opponents back off their own ball to win penalties on the Mowden Park five-metre line – they collected their sixth score as Hayhow completed his hat-trick from close range.

It was Darlington who had the final word as Connor Fitzsimons crossed with the last play of the game for the away side, but by this stage it was far too little, too late.

Final Score: Rams 40 Darlington Mowden Park 15

Half-time Score: Rams 19 Darlington Mowden Park 5

Scorers

Rams

Tries: Cole 21, Hayhow 27, 32, 77, Rossiter 42, Everitt 47.

Conversions: Seers 28, 33, 43, 48, 78.

Darlington Mowden Park

Tries: Walker 16, Ledingham 50, Fitzsimons 80

Star Man: Ollie Cole (Rams)

Referee: Richard Gordon.

Attendance: 522.

Teams

Rams

(15-9,1-8) Robson, Rossiter, Hayhow, Humberstone (vc), Kalling-Smith, Seers, Cole; Marris, Hayman, Englezos, Taylor, Swain, McRae, Everitt, Stapley (c)

Substitutes: Moffitt, Crame, McDonnell-Roberts, Allan, Bird.

Darlington Mowden Park

(15-9, 1-8): Minogue, Walker, Passman, Fitzsimons, Hadfield, Ledingham, Pascoe; Barron, Fraine, Crickmay, Vaioleit, Burmeister, Fantini, Jones, Craggs.

Substitutes: Fletcher, Guest, Kyle-Clay, Tiffin, Mackenzie.