Rotherham Titans suffer home misery at hands of strugglers Hartpury
ROTHERHAM TITANS lost at Clifton Lane for the second game running against the side which was bottom of the Champ before kick-off, having won only once.
Titans’ coach, Harvey Biljon, had in the build-up to this contest, close throughout, warned that Hartpury were a much better side than their league record suggested, and so it proved.
With Doncaster Knights, the next visitors to Clifton Lane on the first Saturday in December, Rotherham’s recent home record needs putting right, otherwise the outcome of leg one of the South Yorkshire derby, the biggest match of the Champ campaign, may result in another defeat.
Rotherham certainly began promisingly before their opposition recovered impressively, primarily because the Hartpury forwards started to win ball and claim territory.
Tries on six minutes and 16 by wingers Ben Cambriani and Eparama Rokodrava produced a 12-0 lead; however, the Gloucestershire side gradually fought back and threatened in Rotherham’s half.
Once again, the Titans were penalised and just after half an hour, centre Oliver Allsopp broke through to score. Soon afterwards, a clear sign that Hartpury were gaining the upper hand came when Rotherham’s scrum was demolished by their opposite numbers, a rare event indeed.
Now full of confidence, Hartpury scored again five minutes later after Rotherham were penalised as hooker and skipper Will Crane crashed over from a lineout near the Titans’ line, providing a lead of 15-12 after an excellent touchline conversion.
Showing more urgency as the second half unfolded, Rotherham’s pressure was rewarded on 49 and 58 minutes with tries by forwards John Okafor and Morgan Veness, and with centre Lloyd Hayes converting both scores, they regained the lead at 26-20.
But any hopes that this advantage would be improved collapsed as Hartpury now dominated the rest of the match.
Their pack had already set up a try for lock Peter Paramore and as the visitors’ forwards continued to advance, replacements Jay Evans and Totoa Auvaa barged across the Rotherham line in the 66th and 79th minutes to guarantee a much-needed win by five tries to four.
Rotherham did create some opportunities in the second half which could have changed the result, but they knocked on during a promising move, and then top rate work by the forwards forced Hartpury to concede a penalty, but sadly from the Titans’ point of view, the kick didn’t find touch for an attacking lineout and flew out of play.
So, another potential scoring opportunity was missed during an encounter in which Rotherham rarely played to their undoubted ability.
“This is a big moment in the season for us,” Biljon. “But we’ve come away with a point and this Saturday’s game at Blackheath is going to be huge.
“I said beforehand not to look at the league table. Concentrate instead on your own performance. Hartpury had the luxury of bringing in Premiership players from Bristol and Gloucester.”
Rotherham’s record in the Champ now stands at five wins from eight games, producing 22 points.
Rotherham Titans: Shaw, Rokodrava, Hayes, Mgijima, Cambriani, Bennett, Bruzulier(Jackson 52), Nearchou(Toerien 66), Veness(Inman 77), Bairstow(Barrett 40), Gascoigne(Stone 61), Bell, Okafor(Ravuvu 79) Gordon, Baldry(Bustin 40).
Hartpury: Morgan, Cotgreave, Smith, Allsop, Holliday, Fortey, Gealy, Edwards, Crane(C.Williams 64), Gibson(Perry 56), Davies, Paramore(N.Williams 64), Cobbett, Short(Evans 52), Murray(Auvaa 56).
Referee: Matt Sharpe.