Rams 38–34 Rosslyn Park
26/09/26
Park endured an agonising defeat at Old Bath Road, as a penalty try in the dying minutes gave Rams a 38–34 victory in Round 4 of National 1.
It was Park who started the better of the two teams, with Luke Mehson claiming his first of the afternoon by beating a defender on the fringe and running 50 metres to score.
Park then secured another score through Freddie Vaughan, who was fed a fantastic offload. The score was converted by Lochie Glackin to make it 12–0.
But Rams reacted well, as a floating long ball found Oli Sedgwick, who scored in the corner before Ross Mckay’s boot reduced the deficit to five points.
Park found themselves defending their own line for much of the first half, but they stood firm, forcing mistakes. They were eventually rewarded when George Orchard went through a gap before stepping his way to the line.
That lead would increase on 32 minutes when Mehson claimed his second of the afternoon, following fantastic backs play from a lineout that put him in the corner.
But Rams would ensure the lead was reduced to just three points heading into the sheds.
First, Mikey Duda claimed a score after clever interplay in the midfield, before Ross Mckay intercepted a long pass, allowing him to run in under the posts and make it 24–21 heading into the final 40 minutes.
Park started the second half positively. Luke Mehson completed his hat-trick just three minutes in, with some neat hands in the 22 seeing him score in the corner.
But it would only take five minutes for Rams to cut the lead to three once again, as Max Marshall found the whitewash from close range.
Rams then started to find their rhythm, forcing Park to defend their own line. Multiple infringements became too much, and Danny Cutmore saw yellow on 58 minutes.
But Park held firm and, with 10 minutes to go, the pack came to the fore, with Max wheeler going over from close range.
However, Rams weren’t finished. Some clever hands put Matt Blee over in the corner.
The winning moment then came in the dying minutes, when Rams were knocking at the door before a long pass failed to find their winger.
Mehson was deemed to have stopped the scoring opportunity, leading to a penalty try and a yellow card.
It was an end-to-end game, but ultimately Rams came away with the 38–34 victory.
Rosslyn Park
Tries: Mehson (1’, 32’, 43’), Vaughan (4’), Orchard (28’), Wheeler (69’)
Conversions: Glackin (5’, 29’)
Penalties: n/a
Yellow Cards: Cutmore (58’), Mehson (79’)
Team: Orchard, Davies (C), Wheeler, Bell, Cutmore, Ellis (VC), Elston, Hosking, Fenley, Mehson, Vaughan, Hopson, Ekendahl, Coe
Replacements: Fraine, Cade, King, Matthews, Ekendahl
Rams
Tries: Sedgwick (7’), Duda (38’), McKay (40’), Marshall (48’), Blee (71’), Penalty Try (78’)
Conversions: McKay (8’, 39’, 40’)
Penalties: n/a
Yellow Cards: n/a
Team: Harris, Marshall, Baker, Cozens, Stirling, Saayman, Duda, Bicknell (C), Wickham, Mckay, Kalling-Smith, Jones, Blee, Sedgwick, Cooke
Replacements: Wozniak, Marris, Atkins, Pett-Ridge, Garfield.