MIKE Hoyt’s magnificent try was the highlight of a 28-7 bonus-point home victory as Rams returned to National One winning ways against Sedgley Park.

The visitors had an early chance to take the lead, Warren Seals pushing a 40-metre penalty wide after Max Hayman was penalised for off-side having grabbed an interception from the back of a line-out.

However, Rams gradually built into the game, especially at scrum-time, and they took a deserved lead when Hayman burrowed over at the back of a maul.

The conversion was added by Fraser Honey, and hooker Hayman was on course to double his tally from halfway as he scooted down the left, only for play to be called back for a tug on a Sedgley shirt.

Yet the hosts did grab a second just after the half-hour, Hoyt starting and finishing a stunning score.

The blind-side flanker kicked things into motion with a blind-side break followed by a majestic back-of-the-hand pass which sent Henry Bird racing down the right, and was then on hand to take a return pass before diving under the posts.

Honey made no mistake for a 14-0 interval lead, and after George Makepeace-Cubitt almost created another with a deft grubber kick which forced a five-metre line-out, it was Tigers who attacked in the final few minutes of the half.

They were repelled, however, before a third quarter which was something of a nip-and-tuck affair other than Sedgley skipper Matt Riley receiving a yellow card for a high tackle in midfield as Rams looked like gaining an interception score.

The skipper returned before visiting substitute Tom Ailes was sin-binned after a succession of penalties in the Tigers’ 22, and Danny Rylance followed as Rams claimed a penalty try with a surging maul racing towards the line.

The bonus-point score was added with nine minutes remaining, the hosts winning a scrum against the head before replacement Rowan Grundy burst into the opposition’ 22 and sent an inside ball to Ollie Monye to dive over next to the posts.

Honey added the extras for 28-0, and while Sedgley kept battling to the end, all they could take for their efforts was Austin Downham’s late Park score converted by Seals.

And even then, it was Rams who nearly had the final word, Calum Scott diving over the line before the ball was knocked from his grasp and the final whistle blown.

Full Time: Rams 28–7 Sedgley Park

Half Time: 14-0

Rams

Tries: Hayman 14, Hoyt 33, Penalty 66, Monye 71

Conversions: Honey 15, 34, 72

Sedgley Park

Try: Downham 77

Conversion: Seals 78

Star Man: Mike Hoyt (Rams)

Referee: Jamie Parr

Attendance: 732

Rams

(15-9, 1-8) Makepeace-Cubitt, Bird, Kalling-Smith, Humberstone (vc), Clow, Honey, Hoadley; Marris, Hayman, Baker, C Stapley, Swain, Hoyt, Atkins, R Stapley ©

Replacements: Scott, Englezos, McRae, Monye, Grundy.

Sedgely Park

(15-9, 1-8) Wardle, A Riley, Pope, M Riley ©, Henderson, Seals, Sturgess; Blanchard, Thompson, Rylance, Birtwell, Crowe, Goodman, Bradley, Bordill

Replacements: Downham, Maher, Bell, Glasse, Ailes.