Bishop's Stortford 1st XV 28 Ampthill & District 28

The visitors started strongly and shaded the first ten minutes, culminating in a penalty goal to flyhalf, Rory Teague, a close- season signing from Blackheath, when Stortford were penalised for handling in the ruck. The home side, however clawed their way back into the game and a great burst by winger, Nick Hankin set up an attack, which Ampthill could only stop by killing the ball at a tackle under their posts. Ollie Walker made no mistake with the kick to bring the scores level. Ampthill again took the initiative, with their big forwards edging a hard fought forwards tussle, led by former Tongan international No 8. Maama Molitika. Their backs, however showed limited ambition, so they had to settle for two further penalties over the next quarter of an hour. When home prop, Sean Edwards was yellow-carded after 38 minutes for collapsing a maul inside the Stortford 22, it looked as if the opposition would have little problem in grinding their way to a comfortable halftime lead, but the home side seemed suddenly to find some new inspiration. A sweeping move from halfway, started by a great burst up the middle by Declan Caulfield and carried on by fellow forwards, Steve Ball and Mark McCraith found second row, Jon George in close support to dive over for a try close to the posts. Walker had no difficulty in converting to take the halftime score to 10-9.

The visitors at this stage would undoubtedly have felt that the scoreline hardly did justice to the control that they had exercised for extended periods of the half, but it was Stortford – still down to 14 men – who started the second period the stronger. Five minutes of dominating possession forced a penalty at the back of a defensive scrum and Walker once again stepped up to the mark to extend the home lead to 4 points. Almost immediately, however, a no-arms tackle by Marcus Cattell produced another yellow card for the home side and, scarcely had Edwards returned to the fray from his spell in the sin bin, when it was Mark McCraith’s turn to see yellow, when he was penalised for a series of team offences as his short-handed side came under increased pressure. Ampthill were quick to stretch the 13 man Stortford defence and scored a try close to the posts, which Teague had no difficulty in converting to take his side 3 points ahead. With Cattell’s return, however, the home side soon threatened the Ampthill line through midfield, forcing a penalty inside the 22 for a breakdown offence after 16 minutes of the half, from which Walker levelled the scores. Stortford were not prepared to settle for parity, however, and a quickly taken penalty inside their own half found Hankin in space, which the winger exploited to the absolute maximum, stepping a couple of defenders brilliantly and then pinning his ears back for a tremendous try after 25 minutes. Walker’s conversion took the score to 23-16 and the game appeared to be Stortford’s when substitute scrumhalf, Sam Coleman scored another try only 2 minutes later after tremendous ground had been made up the middle by prop, Rory Young off a long flat pass from his flyhalf and well-timed support from George allowed him to commit the last defender before feeding Coleman. Walker’s conversion attempt fell only narrowly short to leave the home side 28-16 ahead. At this stage, maybe a more experienced side than Stortford would have set about shutting up shop, but they continued to try and play the free-flowing rugby that had brought them success hitherto. This, unfortunately came back to bite them when an ambitious attempt to run the ball blind from a scrum in their own 22 led to a turnover and a few phases of driving forward play were all it took to create a try for the Ampthill fullback after 35 minutes. Teague’s attempted conversion went narrowly wide, but what had become a very flat visiting side, suddenly saw a possible escape route and embarked on a series of sustained attacks, albeit without looking unduly threatening. As extended injury time was running out, however, the visitors flung the ball out towards their right wing, almost in desperation and for once, Stortford’s otherwise impressive defence slipped up and a missed tackle in midfield gave the winger enough room to run round for a try close to the Stortford posts. A kicker with Teague’s experience was never going to miss the easy conversion and the final whistle blew immediately after he had levelled the scores.

Having played nearly all the ambitious rugby, some of which was extremely impressive, the immediate reaction for Stortford’s players and supporters was inevitably one of disappointment at two points dropped. It must be remembered, however, that this is a strong Ampthill side with a number of imported stars who will have gone away from Silver Leys feeling pretty chastened at the tough game that Stortford had given them and extremely relieved not to have left empty-handed.

Belcom Man of the Match was flanker, Richard Gill for his outstanding performance throughout the game. though there were many others with strong claims in what was overall a very strong team performance.