RAMS head coach Seb Reynolds paid tribute to the club’s supporters after they secured an eighth straight National Two South win with a 41-12 success against Worthing Raiders at the Old Bath Road ground on Saturday, writes Richard Ashton.

With their 11th win in 12 games this season, Rams are now nine points clear of second-placed Canterbury in the table, and look well-placed for a serious crack at the title.

They secured an epic 35-30 victory at Taunton Titans the Saturday before the Worthing win, and Reynolds said the reaction to that – and the support of their followers – had proved key in the outstanding first 60 minutes they produced in going 41-0 up against Raiders.

He told the Chronicle: “We spoke in the week about how you react to a really big game at Taunton, and after winning that game – albeit it was a little bit of squeaky bum times at occasions – how do you respond?

“Sometimes against teams like Worthing you can go back and lose the week after, but we wanted to almost acknowledge the support we had last week – we had travelling supporters who came down on a bus, the first time we’ve had a bus – and we felt we were back at home against a very good Worthing team with a very dangerous backline.

“We really wanted to back the performance from last week.”

He continued: “I hope something is building. This is a team which is born out of the town – these are boys from Reading and the local area, and they’re doing it for each other. They’re a strong unit and with that our supporters can see what they’re about and they get behind that. It’s generating a really nice atmosphere around the club.”

Rams made a fast start as a cleverly-worked short line-out ended with hooker Ben Henderson going over in the corner, Raiders perhaps fearful of how dominant the hosts’ rolling maul has been this season.

Alex Seers added the extras and a second Henderson score made it 12-0 after just 13 minutes.

Jak Rossiter unselfishly set-up scrum-half Greg Illingworth for the third score at the end of the first quarter, and the bonus-point was wrapped up when prop Niall Kidd showed tremendous pace to scorch clear of the defence and go over.

With Seers converting the try, Kidd’s fellow prop James Baker battered his way over from much closer range to make it 29-0 at half-time.

The rampage continued in the second half with Michael Etete crashing over in the 41st minute, before Joe Duffelen went over shortly afterwards.

With Jamar Richardson taking over kicking duties after Seers limped off, he converted to make it 41-0 on 49 minutes and the potential for a complete blow-out victory.

However, Raiders showed excellent guts to stem the tide, and picked up a brace of consolation tries in the final 12 minutes courtesy of Matt Walsh and Harrison Sims, along with a conversion from the league’s all-time highest points scorer, Matt McClean.

Reflecting on the victory and restricting Worthing – who went into the game as the third top points-scorers in the division – Reynolds said: “It was a really good performance early on, near our best.

“We want to try and create a total rugby team – that’s the aim and what we’re pushing towards. Whether we’ll get there, I don’t know, but it’s what we push towards.

“Our side can play in many different ways – we have a strong foundation (with the forwards), but we also have a really good off-loading game and I felt we got that going against a really dangerous Worthing side.

“I was pleased and Danny Batty our defence coach will be delighted with the defensive effort. It was a real focus in the week to not allow them any time on the ball – if you do allow them time they can tear you apart. We’re really pleased and it’s almost a compliment to Worthing just how pleased we are with that performance.”

Rams face a tough trip to Redruth next Saturday (2pm), before they host Clifton, travel to Birmingham & Solihull and welcome London Irish Wild Geese to the Old Bath Road before Christmas.

And Reynolds said they are fully focussed despite their advantage at the top, warning how tough the Redruth test will be.

He said: “We’ve got a long journey, we’re going on Friday night so we’re sleeping in different beds and other different elements which you don’t have during the season thrown at you, and at the game as well, Redruth are such a strong side. We’ve really got to be on our mettle.

“If you have the form we’re in the confidence does grow, but we’re very much thinking we’ve got a run-up to Christmas we need to focus on and that’s what we’ll be doing.”