Esher 23 Rotherham Titans 19: Rotherham face repair job ahead of derby encounter
However, Titans failed to withstand Esher's strong recovery which produced tries by prop David Millard on 62 and 75 minutes, and with the Surrey side's accurate goal kicker, Sam Ulph, continuing to score points, Rotherham's hopes of achieving, what should have been a rare away win, disappeared.
They returned to Clifton Lane with a losing bonus point only, not the result Rotherham required as they chase a top-eight finish. The setback of two defeats in a week can be overcome in the next six days if Rotherham can beat Birmingham-Solihull away on Wednesday night and then win the much tougher challenge against Doncaster in the South Yorkshire derby on Saturday at Clifton Lane.
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Hide AdThe midweek game against the Championship's bottom club will be far from easy, and Rotherham's defence must be much tighter than at Esher where backs Seb Jewell and Gerard Mullen broke through too easily.
Rotherham have difficulty coping with teams which attack with pace and width, and Esher, coached by the former Rotherham favourite Mike Schmid, exploited this weakness.
Nevertheless, with an hour gone, the Titans were in control, the forwards, not least Sam Dickinson and Ryan Burrows, were playing with authority and were expected to extend their
19-9 advantage.
Tries by lock James Sandford, fly-half Juan Pablo Socino, who made an excellent break, and winger Jonny Hampsey, whose score was created by full-back Matty James running 80 metres after intercepting, had seemingly put Rotherham in command.
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Hide AdFrustratingly, though, they lacked the force and the possession to build on this position and seldom threatened Esher's line after the interval.
Esher may not avoid the relegation play-offs, but their enterprising and adventurous approach can cause havoc.
Esher: Ulph, Hylton, P.MacKenzie, Jewell, Mullen, Slemen, J Mackenzie, Millard, Walker, Nebbett, Nimmo, Barker, Downey, Stitcher, Renwick.
Rotherham Titans: M James, Hampsey, S James, Hodgson (Welding 65), Swatkins, Socino, Bedford, Kilbane (Aikman 66), Loney, Quigley, Harris (Kettle 70), Sandford, Dickinson, Dougall, Burrows.
Referee: T Wigglesworth.