Cambridge trounce Taunton Titans on return from festive break ahead of hosting Darlington Mowden Park

Cambridge showed no signs of any rustiness during their 36-8 win at Taunton Titans on Saturday.

It was Richie Williams’ side’s first outing since the 17-17 draw at Leeds Tykes on December 3, with their two matches in the build-up to Christmas being postponed because of frozen pitches.

Steff James got the ball rolling for Cambridge in Somerset with a 13th-minute penalty before Ben Brownlie scored the first of his two tries six minutes later.

Taunton got their first points of the afternoon on the board with a penalty in the 27th minute, but the final say on the first half went to Cambridge as Kwaku Asiedu dotted down an unconverted try for a 15-3 advantage.

Quickfire tries just after the hour mark from Anthony Maka and Brownlie – both of which were converted by James – extended Cambridge’s lead further, with Taunton going on to score their only try of the game with 75 minutes on the clock.

Maka’s second try of the fixture one minute from time ended the scoring and it rubber-stamped a result that saw Cambridge move up to third in the National League 1 standings.

They are 11 points adrift of table-topping Sale RFC having played two games fewer, while they also have one match in hand on second-placed Rams, who are seven points better off.

Eighth-placed Darlington Mowden Park will be the visitors to Volac Park on Saturday (January 14).