TAUNTON Titans’ clash with the runaway leaders, the Rams, was always going to be tough and so it proved – in spades, writes Dick Macey.

The visitors emerged victors, 35-30, but not before they had been sorely tested by an invigorated Titans side who suffered from perceptions of indiscipline by the referee, dishing out two yellows and a red, much to the frustration of the home side.

With the midweek news that neither of their star flankers (Jarrard Hayler and Ratu Vakalutukali) would be available, having been selected to play for The Navy, and No 8 Sam Prior would miss out through injury, one feared the pressure on the replacements would be too great.

In the event, as the saying goes, “cometh the hour cometh the man” (or men in this case!), and Jamie Fleming, Ben Oliphant-Thompson and Dan Ogden readily seized the opportunity to shine and put in a full shift to keep the Titans in the game.

The Titans’ gameplan from the outset was to disrupt the Rams’ forwards and work the ball wide to expose their flanks, and this very nearly came to fruition.

The hosts led 24-14 at half time by following the plan to the letter and began the second half in the same fiery mode.

However, after 15 minutes, officialdom took over and altered the whole pattern of the game.

The referee, although not seeing it himself, delivered a red card to BJ Chapman, the Titans lock, for alleged foul play despite BJ having his bloodied nose spread across his face.

And then, shortly after, another touchline intervention saw a yellow shown to Sonny Haines, and the game as a contest was lost.

The Rams saw the opening, got their strong pack of forwards organised and ground their way into the lead, overpowering the weakened home side’s capacity to defend.

Although Taunton claimed two bonus points, it was the Rams who definitely had the rub of the green, and the Titans will relish the prospect of redressing matters in the return fixture.

Next week they travel to the Weald of Kent to take on Tonbridge Juddians, before spending December in the West Country; three games will be at home and the away fixture against Dings Crusaders in Bristol.

They will have a chance to regroup and seek to avenge the narrow defeats that Dame Fortune has dished out thus far.