RAMS slipped to a third consecutive National One defeat as they went down 19-0 on a miserable afternoon at Birmingham Moseley.

A terrific effort from the home grounds staff meant the standing water prior to kick-off was cleared, and it was the Midlanders who nearly took an early lead when livewire full-back Freddie Painter returned a kick from deep before forcing a scrum five metres from the Rams’ line.

Birmingham did take the lead shortly after, however, a breakdown penalty enabling them to kick to the corner before Ryan Roach crashed over from a powerful maul.

Rams responded as the excellent Harry Stone made a brilliant midfield break, only for his pass to evade Jasper Spandler with the line at his mercy.

Yet the hosts then came close themselves, Austin Nevitt’s scything burst making ground before Painter’s foot just found touch as he stretched for the line wide left.

It was Rams who bossed the latter stages of the opening half, however, dominating possession and territory only to prove unsuccessful with four five-metre line-outs.

And they were hit with a sucker-punch early in the second period, indiscipline again allowing Moseley to kick to the corner.

The returning Nile Dacres brilliantly stole the line-out, but Birmingham regathered the ball before replacement Will Safe burrowed over.

Jack Jolly landed the extras for 12-0, but Rams kept coming and again had numerous close-range opportunities to cut the gap.

The pivotal moment came early in the final quarter as the visitors had two line-outs pinched – one on the Moseley five-metre – before a penalty saw Spandler sin-binned and Birmingham kick to the corner.

Rams did well to hold the maul up, but a sensational score from Aquille Smith, making his 100th appearance, saw the Jamaican race over from 40 metres out for a converted score.

As the mizzle continued to fall the away side battled gallantly, a wonderful Axel Kalling-Smith again taking them into their opponents’ 22, Dan Brough yellow carded for a deliberate knock-on soon after.

But Birmingham remained resilient to the death, an outstanding defensive effort ending with the Berkshire side unable to post any points as they dropped to third in the table, eight adrift of leaders Richmond and one back from Rotherham Titans.

Rams have a week off before hosting in-form Plymouth Albion – who recorded an eighth straight win against Sedgley Park – on Saturday, March 1.

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