Within the first minutes of the game, the Reading hosts were already knocking against their opposing try line. Runs by Steve Bryant, Ben Henderson and Sean McDonnell-Roberts paved the way for Jordan Souter to break through BSE’s centre-field, offloading to Ollie Foxley for the first try of the afternoon which was then converted by Jacob Atkins.

A slow and steady first half progressed with a lot of time spent in the set piece. Rams didn’t touch the scoreboard again until the final 10 minutes of the half, in which Atkins bolstered Rams’ lead with two penalties and a high-octane intercept on Rams’ own try line, making an 80-metre run and scoring an unconverted try for 18-0 at the interval.
Despite the one-sided scoreboard, the second half told a separate story. Bury St Edmunds started to play a more fluid, open game and were rewarded with a quick try scored by Maku Koroiyadi. Lyle added the extras for the Suffolk side.

Foxley found his second try at the end of Atkins’ chip immediately after the reset. Atkins chipped again, this time over the posts to complete the conversion.

Although eager to find the bonus point, Rams failed to achieve this against a stellar BSE defence. Instead the visitors made a keen scrutiny of their opposition, breaking through on two occasions for tries by Shaq Meyers and Donovan O’Grady. O’Grady, playing his debut for BSE, converted both for the final result of 25-21 in Rams’ favour.

Bury St Edmunds return home with a well-earned bonus point. Given the right opportunities, they may have ended today’s match with a win, as they clearly demonstrated themselves as the more assertive side throughout the second half. This doesn’t detract from Rams’ excellent performance in the first forty and their stellar defensive effort throughout the second.

Rams will be back in action on the 4th of March, on which they will compete in a crucial mid-table clashaway against Cinderford.

Report by Matt McCrory
Photo by Tim Pitfield

Redingensians Rams:
Tries: Foxley 12, 45; Atkins 24
Conversions: Atkins 12
Penalties: Atkins 31, 38

BSE:
Tries: Koroiyadi 43; Meyers 66; O'Grady 78
Conversions: Lyle 43; O'Grady 66, 78

Redingensians Rams:
15 - Foxley
14 - Rossiter
13 - Bryant
12 - Souter
11 - Corrigan
10 - Atkins
9 - Illingworth
1 - Marris
2 - Henderson
3 - McDonnell-Roberts
4 - Hoy
5 - Taylor
6 - Amor
7 - Nightingale
8 - Stapley (c)

Replacements:
16 - Drew
17 - Baker
18 - Thompson
19 - Vooght
20 - Guttridge

Bury St Edmunds:
15 - Lyle
14 - Snelling
13 - Sterling
12 - Meyers
11 - Wiltshire
10 - Rock (c)
9 - A-Brown
1 - Trinder
2 - Selby
3 - Coutts
4 - Whetton
5 - Turner
6 - Gillespie
7 - Stapleton
8 - Koroiyadi

Replacements:
16 - Palmer
17 - Griffiths
18 - Collins
19 - Micklethwaite
20 - O'Grady