The Devils turned on a cool and smoky night but it was the Rams who turned on the league heat to sting the Devil premiership hopes.

The night didn't start well for the Devils with Muswellbrook centre Kurt Dial accepting a chip kick from Devils co-coach Ben Daniels to race 70m and score in the first five minutes. Then fullback Anthony Shaw picked up a dropped Devils ball and raced another 70m to score for a 10-nil lead.

The Devils struck back with a brilliantly simple grubber kick-and-chase try for fullback Mark Brown to score under the posts. Then Eddie Huggins' pass to supports was batted down by the Rams, leaving second-rower Mark Paine to grab the rolling ball, fend off a tackler and race over under the posts for a 12-10 lead.

The Devils looked like they were gaining the ascendancy but as prop Shane Goodwin limped off with a recurring ankle injury, the Devils faltered.

Ram second-rower Neal Quinn celebrated a new arrival in his household by grounding a dropped ball from a testing kick and being awarded a try despite Devil protests it came on the seventh tackle.

Then Jonathan Shaw scored his second of the night when he stepped out of a tackle to race over. The Rams added further tries to outstanding centre Daniel Forder and his centre partner Dial before the break for a 32-12 lead.

A second minute second half try to captain-coach Barry Edwards virtually sealed the match when Edwards put up a high bomb. The Devils let it bounce and Edwards regathered the bouncing ball to crash over.

Big second-rower Adam Tearle added a further try for the Rams while Mark Paine grabbed a last minute consolation for Denman.

Props Jon Kelman and John Marco had strong games again for the Rams with Edwards and Geoff Sampson organising much of the attack with livewire halfback Shane Renshall. Centres Forder and Dial were strong but their best player was hooker Scott Collins. The 23-year-old radiographer destroyed Denman around the ruck, making numerous darting runs up the middle.

Denman's best were second rowers Paine and Huggins, halfback Nathan Daniels, Lance Cox and lock Ben Daniels. Prop Corey Ayre was possibly its best with some strong, bumping runs from the hard-to-tackle forward.

Denman coaches Joey Nebauer and Ben Daniels had five out of Tuesday night's match and hope to have a few of them back for Sunday's return clash at Olympic Park in Muswellbrook. In the other Group 21 clash, Aberdeen is at home to Scone.

THIESS SERVICES GROUP 21 TABLE: Muswellbrook 18, Denman 15, Scone 14, Singleton 7, Aberdeen 6.