Three second half tries, two for replacement back-rower Jamie Guttridge and one from skipper Andy Amor saw Rams turn a, 15-10, interval deficit into a try bonus point National Div. 3 South West win on their return to their Old Bath Road ground last Saturday.
With scrum half James Brooks converting all three as well as kicking a first half penalty and converting Rams opening debut try from wing Josh Sunley the five points moved them up into second place in the table thanks to their far superior points difference.
They are one of three teams on 25 match points but still trailing leaders Exmouth by six but who have played one game more than Rams.
The only down side for Rams were injuries to both fly half Luke Flower and replacement scrum half Jack Hill, that could see them ruled out for this Saturday's trip to upwardly mobile, fifth placed, Old Centralians while centre Steve Bryant also picked up a broken nose but played on.
As skipper Andy Amor said afterwards: “We had a slow start and they came out of the traps and got that early score and it took us until the second half to really come alive but, even with the disruptions losing Luke and Jack, the boys came through well to get the bonus point.
And, he added: “It was great for the team to bounce back from last weeks defeat and to play the side that were above us in the table. We took five points, stopped them scoring a league point and that showed what the boys are really all about!”
With a lot of spectators making use of the clubs pristine new viewing area for the first time, the game got off to a lively start with the visitors, dubbed the `All Whites', showing, early on, that they weren't there just to make up the numbers.
But, it was Rams who grabbed the games opening points, after just eight minutes, when, following some good work from No.8 Gus Davies, Brooks and full back Joe Duffelen, centre David Massey was finally stopped inside the visitors half and who gave away a penalty in the ensuing ruck for joining from the side and for Brooks to easily bang over his kick.
Almost immediately the visitors stormed back to snatch the lead when their fly half Stephen Ward and centre Jordan Anderton rang alarm bells ripping apart Rams defence for Anderton to finish off and touch down for an unconverted score, 3-5.
But, it was a penalty that set-up Rams opening try on 27 minutes when, from Brooks kick and the resultant line-out, good work again from Massey and Duffelen, driving into the `All Whites' 22, set up Flower for a great cross-field kick that Sunley gathered wide out and to sprint over in the corner for his debut club try and superbly converted by Brooks, 10-5.
Once, again, the visitors replied quickly earning a penalty from the restart, for not releasing at a ruck, and full back Josh Smith belted it over.
And it was Smith who rubbed salt in the wound as Rams lost their second line-out in succession soon afterwards and the visitors took advantage for the full back to beat the home defence to the touchdown of his well weighted kick into the Rams in-goal area.
And Smith duly converted his own score to put the visitors 15-10 ahead at the break.
While Rams suffered an early set-back after the restart, losing Flower to a bang to the head in a tackle after just three minutes - that heralded the arrival of Hill with Brooks moving to stand-off - Rams began to, gradually, take control.
And, on 56 minutes, they regained the lead they were never to surrender.
Both flanker Azza Hopkins and lock Tom Bryson drove hard and set up replacement back row man Guttridge, at full stretch, to beat the flailing defence and to smash his way over the visitors line.
Brooks again converted, 17-15, and although Rams were once more forced to re-organise due to Hill's ankle injury they had the visitors rattled and were scoring again on 57 minutes.
This time it was Hopkins 60 metre mazey run that was the catalyst with Duffelen, Brooks and hooker Ben Henderson all playing their part to set up their skipper Amor to dummy his way over for his third try of the season.
Brooks, on sparkling form, duly obliged with the conversion as he did with Rams final try, just four minutes later, after another dazzling run from Sunley paved the way for Guttridge to storm over the visitors line for his second touchdown and to bring out another huge touchline conversion from Brooks who, by now, was playing at fly half.
As Guttridge, the double try scorer, summed up afterwards:- “It's nice to be able to score but it's about winning really! When I came on and picked up the ball from the first ruck and I didn't go anywhere it said it all! They were a good squad but we just got to back ourselves as we are fitter than every team in this league and from sixty minutes and beyond they are not going to compete with us.”
Rams look for a sixth scalp this Saturday when they visit Gloucester based Old Centralians.

Rams – Duffelen; Foxley, Bryant, Massey, Sunley; Flower, Brooks; Weller, Henderson, Baker; Bryson, Hughes; Amor, Hopkins, Davies. Reps – Steadman, Guttridge, Hill.

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