Ampthill scored 41 unanswered second half points to secure a thumping 62-14 bonus point win over Richmond on The Olney Field, and in the process secured back-to-back Elior Champ Rugby victories for the first time since December.
The Mob got off to a flying start, scoring the first try of the match just two minutes into the contest. Efan Jones sprinted away to score after managing to collect his own kick through after Richmond full-back Callum Grieve misjudged the bounce of the ball.
Ampthill’s quick start continued, extending their lead to 14-0 only nine minutes into the game after being awarded a penalty try. Another Efan Jones kick through was batted out illegally at the back of the in goal area by Grieve, who received a yellow card for his error in judgement.
Despite being down to 14 men, Richmond started to cause Ampthill some problems and remarkably scored two converted tries to level the match after 20 minutes. Will Goffey finished off a well-executed rolling maul in the 13th minute, and No.8 Xavier Hastings forced his way over from close range in the 20th minute following another dominant catch and drive.
Richmond’s captain Paddy Case was shown a yellow card in the 36th minute after persistent infringing from the visitors, and Ampthill made them pay at the end of the first half, scoring their 3rd try to take a 21-14 lead into the break. Another sublime grubber kick from Efan Jones was dotted down under the sticks in the in-goal area by Noah Caluori in the 37th minute.
After a cagey start to the second half, Ampthill scored two quickfire tries to extend their lead to 31-14 after 55 minutes. Another clever kick, this time from Sione Va’enuku was dotted down by Joe Heslop after a good kick chase in the 52nd minute, and three minutes later Jack Bracken finished off an impressive team move following a lineout steal from Ollie Mullarkey.
Richmond couldn’t halt the Mob’s momentum, and conceded two more tries to trail 45-14 after 70 minutes, effectively ending the game as a contest. Once again Sione Va’enuku put an outstanding kick through, which Bracken collected and sprinted away to score his second try in the 58th minute, and 12 minutes later a phenomenal offload from Rory Morgan sent Harrison Dakin away.
Ampthill scored their 8th try of the match to hit the 50 point mark and lead 50-14 after 75 minutes. Luke Davidson intercepted a loose Richmond offload and ran it in from 30 metres out.
The Mob began to play with more freedom, and only three minutes later scored the try of the match to further display their dominance in the second half, and lead 57-14 with two minutes remaining. After opting to tap and go deep inside their own territory, Ampthill moved with amazing skill and accuracy with most players on the pitch involved, and eventually Josh Barton had the time and space to dot down underneath the sticks.
Ampthill closed out the game with their 10th and final try with the last play of the match to secure an emphatic 62-14 win. After the initial line break from James Johnston, the ball was worked exceptionally, with Sione Va’enuku eventually delivering the decisive pass to Oscar Wilson who dived over in the left corner.
Speaking after side’s biggest win of the season, Ampthill head coach Dave Ward said, “I thought it was a really tense affair in the first half, but I knew we had more in our locker and we showed everything we could in the second half and we came away with an outstanding victory”.
Ampthill Points Scorers
Tries: Jones 2, Penalty try 9, Caluori 37, Heslop 52, Bracken 55, 58; Dakin 70, Davidson 75, Barton 78, Wilson 80
Conversions: Davidson 3, 38, 59, 71, 79, 80
Attendance: 1014
Man of the Match sponsored by Carlsberg Britvic: Sione Va’enuku