REDINGENSIANS Rams opened their pre-season campaign on Saturday with a 24-19 home win against National Three London & South East promotion favourites Tonbridge Juddian.

However, despite having the lion’s share of possession and pressure, Rams were thwarted for long periods by the visitors’ determined defence.

The home team bludgeoned the opposition for the first quarter and their patience was rewarded after 18 minutes with a well-worked try from full back Joe Duffelen, which was converted by record points scorer Spike Chandler.

A typical Samir Kharbouch break on 35 minutes and a sharp off-load from hooker Ben Henderson gave new scrum half Miles Lloyd a debut try.

And the new No. 9 struck gold again in the 39th minute when some nimble footwork from Jordan Souter – another new signing from Reading University – gave Lloyd a second try with Chandler converting to make the half-time score 19-0 to Rams.

Tonbridge opened their account one minute into the second half when scrum half Ollie Day intercepted on the halfway line to score in the corner.

Tom Simonds failed to add the extras, and Rams responded in the 46th minute with a well-executed catch and drive from a line-out to give Andries Steenkamp a deserved try.

Rams were unable to penetrate the stalwart Tonbridge defence again, and the away side closed the deficit when Will Ward scored from a line-break, Simonds adding the extras.

The visitors finished their afternoon’s efforts in style after some indiscipline from the Reading men allowed them to gain good field position, which they converted into 80th-minute points compliments of some nice line-out work and a Mike O’Sullivan try from a catch and drive. Liam Prescott added the extras for a final score of 24-19 to Rams.

Rams’ head coach Mike Tewkesbury – who singled out new signing Antony Marris for praise – was pleased with his team’s application.

He said: “I feel we are going in the right direction, we are further forward than we were this time last year and our squad is stronger and the new players have all made contributions.”

Rams’ pre-season campaign continues today when they visit Cheshire for an evening fixture against Lymm, round-robins against Macclesfield and Loughborough tomorrow, before they play Caldy on Saturday.

  • FORMER Redingensians colt Tim Bell has been named in the Harlequins veterans match at the Twickenham Stoop on Saturday (2pm).

It kicks off Quins’ 150th anniversary celebrations and precedes the first team preseason friendly against Glasgow Warriors.

Bell is named in Jason Leonard’s squad which takes on a Bob Hillier side.

Bell, now 53, starred in Quins’ 28-22 John Player Special Cup final victory over Bristol in 1988.

He played for Wasps, Bayonne and Reading before returning to Gensians.