1stXV Overcome Tough Moseley In Tight Game
Moseley arrived at Dillingham Park confident after two good victories in their last two matches against Plymouth Albion and Esher.
Starting well the visitors took a deserved lead on five minute after a line out, catch and drive wide on the right scored by centre James Williams who failed with his conversion attempt.
Ampthill hadn’t got off the bus with poor discipline and inaccuracy against a well drilled Moseley proving a problem. The visitors extended their lead in the 14th minute with lock Buster Lawrence coming up with the ball from the bottom of a maul, Williams conversion again sliding wide.
Amps responded well with Captain & blind side flanker Billy Johnson breaking the line and scoring under the posts on 22 minutes, converted by full back James Pritchard closing the gap to 3 points.
The 33rd minute saw Pritchard tie the score with a penalty goal after Moseley were penalised inside their own half at a breakdown leaving the score 10-10 at oranges.
While Moseley had enjoyed the benefit of the elements in the first half A’s came out of the blocks quickly in the second. Scrum half Gavin Williams put in a perfect kick on 44 minutes for wing Spencer Sutherland to exercise his dribbling skills before diving on the ball by the corner flag for the hosts to take the lead.
With the game poised the visitors roared back, Williams adding his second try in the 50th minute breaking through in mid-field after a defensive system failure, this time he was successful with the extra points attempt leaving Moseley back in front.
The home side raised their game again, back in Moseley territory prop Karl Garside ripped the ball from the back of a maul and crashed over for a 55th minute try, Pritchard again converting thus retaking the lead.
With the tight game very much in the balance, Ampthill continued to press winning a 78th minute penalty goal converted by Pritchard and extend the lead to more than one score.
Amps managed to close out the game to take the spoils.
Head Coach Paul Turner commented “A scrappy performance against an in form Moseley team whose league position belies their competitiveness. If we play like this at Sale next week we will get beaten.”
Ampthill
Tries:- Johnson (22), Sutherland (44), Garside (54)
Conversions:- Pritchard (23, 55)
Penalty Goals:- Pritchard (33, 78)
Moseley
Tries:- Williams (8, 50), Lawrence (14)
Conversions:- Williams (51)
Penalty Goals:-
Half Time:- Ampthill 10 Moseley 10
Referee:- Joe James
Attendance:- 383
Man of the Match:- Sam Hanks, Ampthill
