A strong set-piece and forward display provided the foundations for Ampthill, as they overcame Nottingham in their only pre-season outing, ahead of the new season.
“We played quite well I thought, our ambition was good, and we could have had a couple more scores”, Ampthill head coach Paul Turner said. “It’s been a good exercise, and it’s always good to win but friendlies aren’t always about that”, Turner went onto say.
The game had a quiet start, with Nottingham dominating territory in the early stages without ever looking threatening. But with their first foray into The Archers 22, Ampthill were clinical, scoring the game’s opening try in the 6th minute, thanks to a defence splitting grubber kick from fly half Gwyn Parks, finished off with ease by his half back partner Harri Williams.
For the rest of the first half, Ampthill had a strong defensive showing, with Nottingham struggling to build any attacking momentum, and their reward was 2nd try on 33 minutes. Prop Jasper McGuire pounced on a loose ball from a Nottingham lineout, and bundled the ball over the try line from close range.
On the stroke of half time, the Mob extended their lead further, as a brilliantly delayed pass from fly half Parks, sent hooker Ben Chapman straight the through gap, and with no cover defence, a procession to the try line to secure Ampthill’s 3rd try of the afternoon, and a 17-0 half time lead after Parks conversion.
With changes aplenty in the second half, the game was incredibly tight, with no points scored until the 76th minute.
Following an impressive 15 minute period, Nottingham rounded off the scoring after a dominant driving maul following a lineout resulted in centre Dafydd Tiueti receiving the ball just metres from the whitewash. Tiueti forced his way through a number of tackles, before managing to ground the ball, despite significant pressure from the Mob’s recovery defence.
Ampthill’s next outing is their opening Premiership Cup group match, against Premiership side Newcastle Falcons at Dillingham Park in a fortnight!
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Ampthill……17
Tries: Williams 6, McGuire 27, Chapman 38
Conversions: Parks 39
Nottingham……7
Tries: Tiueti 76
Conversions: Annand 77
Match Stats
| Ampthill | Nottingham | |
| Penalties conceded | 10 | 8 |
| Own Lineouts won | 12 | 13 |
| Own Lineouts lost | 4 | 7 |
| Own Scrums won | 8 | 4 |
| Own Scrums lost | 0 | 2 |
| Sin bin | 0 | 0 |
Teams
Ampthill XV: Bacon; Spittle, Morris, Greenlaw, Skelcey, Parks, Williams; McGuire, Chapman, Hardman, Rees, Devine, Asotasi, Smart, Strong.
Replacements: Nearchou, Pogson, Lutui, Evans, Pearce-Paul, Ireland, Blackmore; Bracken, White, Robson, Strachan, Morris, Sorrell, Ijeh, Dawkins.
Nottingham 1st half XV: Olowofela; Graham, Du Randt, Pohe, Joule, Bunting, Goodwin; Owen, Dickinson, Valentine, Shine, Ecclesfield, Hall, Tweedy, Clift.
Nottingham 2nd half XV: Daniels; Mee, M. Green, Tiveti, Williams, Annand, Stronge; Van der Flier, Clayton, Bridges, Joussain, S. Green, Cox, Wright, Poullet.
Attendance: 535
Star man: Morgan Strong – Ampthill RUFC
