TRIES from lock Ollie Randall and debutant flanker Samir Kharbouch helped Rams to a league and cup double in their first home game of the new season last Saturday.

With scrum-half James Brooks also impressing with a conversion and two penalties, it was the ideal way for Rams to bounce back from the previous week’s opening National League Three South West defeat at Barnstaple.

Not only did they open their league account with four points but the win saw them retain the Berkshire Cup for the fifth time in six years to underline their local dominance.

“Compared to last week we were far more energetic, far more determined in crossing the gain line and we won the battle of the gain line in both attack and defence,” said director of rugby Mike Tewkesbury afterwards.

“But we have also got to learn to be patient, to put the phases together and have confidence with each other and say that we can put five of six phases together and the gaps will open up.

“I don’t think that we did that today as well as we could have.”

Liam Prescott missed a penalty to give Bracknell the early lead and it was Rams who broke the deadlock when Randall crossed the line, with Brooks’ conversion putting them 7-0 up.

A flurry of yellow cards and penalties from whistle-happy referee Mike Hudson followed for the next 15 minutes, with Bracknell’s Jonny Mirza and Rams’ Steve Bryant, a former Bracknell player, both sinbinned for technical offences.

Rams then lost scrum-half Brooks to the sinbin for deliberate

offside with Bracknell pushing for a try.

The visitors kicked for touch, won the lineout and prop Ken Dowling barged his way over for his second try in as many games. Prescott added the extras to draw the Lily Hill men level

at 7-7 at half time.

Bracknell took that confidence into the second half and scored another try when Ian Burch rounded the Rams defence and fed Nico Maybury who sent Ben Nowak over the line. Prescott, though, missed the conversion to leave Bracknell 12-7 in front.

Rams hit back thanks to a fortunate penalty which was awarded for an innocuous high tackle, Brooks making no mistake to reduce the

gap to 12-10.

Bracknell soon found themselves behind for the second time in the match when Rams’ replacement flanker Kharbouch crossed in the corner for an unconverted try and

a 15-12 lead.

Rams pulled further clear through a superbly-struck penalty from the excellent Brooks while Prescott was in the sinbin.

There was some hope for Bracknell when Rams skipper Owen Root was yellow carded for a shoulder charge on fly-half Daniel Antonelli - having escaped an earlier card for a flailing arm.

Bracknell piled on the pressure in the last 10 minutes knowing a converted score would win it for them. But a dropped ball from a lineout close to the Rams tryline ended their dream of snatching a late victory.

Rams: Chandler; Smith, Bryant, Amor, Johnson; Gumbleton, Brooks; Batten, Paxton, Baker; Root, O’Connell; Bryson, Hopkins, Randall. Reps: Rowland, Kharbouch, Clark.

Bracknell: Mirza, Fillier, Dowding, Barry, Bailey, Brambley, Milligan, Maybury (c), ap Dafydd, Antonelli, Mackay, Nowak, Brember, Burch, Prescot, Reps: Taylor, Alono, Higgins, S.Bullett.

Rams director of rugby Mike Tewkesbury has named an unchanged starting line-up for Saturday’s National League Three South West trip to Brixham (2.30pm ko).

The only changes are on the bench where there’s a late choice on front-row replacement while last weeks try-scoring flanker Samir Kharbouch is joined by a newcomer to the ranks in Belfast born and former Malone, Ulster and All Ireland U20 international full-back Andy Bryans.