Rotherham Titans were made to graft hard before eventually running out 48-19 winners over a dangerous Esher side on a sunny afternoon at Clifton Lane.
Rotherham outscored their Surrey-based opponents by 7 tries to 3 with Lloyd Hayes contributing 23 points after dotting down for a brace and adding 13 points from the tee. Callum Bustin also scored two tries, with Jack Bergmanas, Ronnie Du Randt and Luke Cole completing the scoring.
Titans’ forwards demonstrated their dominance throughout which in turn laid the foundations for a rapid start that saw them race into a 19-0 lead inside the opening 25 minutes.
Two powerful Callum Bustin tries sandwiched one from hooker Jack Bergmanas, all of which came through driving mauls close to the line.
Titans blistering start hit the buffers when two Esher tries in the space of 5 minutes followed. Firstly, second rower Will Inglis charged down a clearance kick and proceed to collect and gallop through, then winger Stan Norman intercepted and raced in to narrow his sides deficit to 19-12.
Stunned by Esher’s quick-fire response Rotherham had to regroup and steady the ship. This they did however and before the break they re-established control when Lloyd Hayes collected just inside the visitors 22 before skipping through to score.
The second half saw Esher start brightly as they moved the ball quickly looking for gaps in the Rotherham defence, which they found on 51 minutes when a short pass arrived with full back Harry Faulkner who charged through to score.
Esher were now enjoying their best period of the game and when on the hour mark they chose to kick a 3-pointer from in front of the sticks, it looked as though they would trail by just 4 points. Surprisingly however, Owen Waters saw his effort drift just wide of the target.
From that point on the visitors rarely trouble the Titans line.
Lloyd Hayes extended Roth’s lead with a penalty before full back Ronnie Du Randt nipped in at the corner for the fifth try.
Replacement hooker Luke Cole quickly added the sixth and Lloyd Hayes added the cherry on the top when in the final play of the game he went in for Titans seventh.
Other than for a brief blip in concentration during the third quarter Rotherham will have been delighted with their efforts, which sees them unbeaten after 3 games in National 1.
Next week Roth face a huge test when they cross the Pennines to take on Sale FC at Heywood Road and their focus will now quickly turn to that.
Speaking after the game Titans Harvey Biljon reflected:
"We had a tremendous start but were frustrated by our efficiency in being able to control the pitch and play in the right areas.
"When you concede tries from a charge-down and an intercept you allow teams to stay in the game a little bit longer and it took us 15 or 20 minutes through the second half to impose ourselves again.
“We have to stay focussed and execute the skill and do the brilliant basics for the 80."
Titans: Bustin (2T), Bergmanas (T), Du Randt (T), Cole (T), Hayes (2T, 5C, 1P)
Esher: Inglis (T), Norman (T), Faulkner (T), Waters (2C)
Yellow Card: Wilkins & Gratton (Esher)
Attendance: 250
Referee: Tim Allatt
Assistant Referees: Kieron Henry & Tim Dyer
Titans: 15 Ronnie Du Randt, 14 Travis Gideon, 13 Lloyd Hayes, 12 Tomasi Tanumi, 11 Jamie Cooke (Naylor 78), 10 Rob Povey, 9 James Naylor (JB Bruzulier 40), 1 Charlie Capps (Kivalu 49), 2 Jack Bergmanas (Cole 49), 3 Andrew Foster (Donkor 37) (Foster 63), 4 Zak Poole (Capt.), 5 Curran Maguire (Thomas 57), 6 John Okafor, 7 Harry Newborn (Maguire 76), 8 Callum Bustin.
Replacements: 16 Luke Cole, 17 Loma Kivalu, 18 Alastair Donkor, 19 Ellis Thomas, 20 JB Bruzulier.
Esher: 15 Harry Faulkner, 14 Stan Norman, 13 Ed Volley (Clare 68), 12 Owen Waters, 11 James Botterill, 10 Tom Walker, 9 Charlie Clare (Mortimer 49), 1 Jacob Morris, 2 Sam Westmacott (Ganley 44), 3 Sam Gratton (Seriki 49), 4 Adam Bullett (Capt.), 5 Will Inglis, 6 Cam Wilkins (Norris 51), 7 Gabriel Seriki (Spiers 44), 8 Josh Thorne (McLean 61).
Replacements: 16 Tom Spiers, 17 Conor Ganley, 18 Olly Norris, 19 Alex McLean, 20 Henry Mortimer.
