Ampthill Head Coach Dave Ward was delighted with his teams performance after watching a last play win at The RAG
“It wasn’t a pretty game of rugby but it was a lot of hard work, a lot of endeavour and I thought the forwards at the end were outstanding to get that maul over from 15m. It’s a fantastic result for us”
24 hours of rain preceding the game created a surface that was difficult for both teams.
Richmond kicked off with the wind and a fifth minute 50:22 created the opportunity for them to open the scoring. A training ground catch and drive try from 10m, converted from the touchline gave the hosts a 7 v 0 lead.
Ampthill were level five minutes later. Having knocked on in attack, the Mob forced the Richmond scrum back towards the line and the referee awarded a penalty try before Ampthill touched the ball down. 7 v 7.
Richmond soon restored their lead, a defensive error creating space for the hosts to score out wide. Conversion missed. 12 v 7.
Ampthill could have reduced the arrears in the 28th minute but Louis Grimoldby’s well struck penalty into the wind came back off the posts, and with neither side creating much quality rugby ‘mond took a lead into the break.
The Mob came out firing for the second period and camped in Richmond territory from the off, the patient game paid off when a penalty gave Louis an opportunity to find the corner and Seb Smith scored from a “rolling maul masterclass”. With Louis off for a HIA, Josh Barton stepped up to convert. 12 v 14.
A 54th minute Josh Barton extended the lead before ‘mond again drew level scoring from another catch and drive, before missing the conversion. 17 v 17 with 16 mins to play.
With the heavens opening and conditions deteriorating under the floodlights, Richmond may have thought they’d won the game with a 77th minute penalty.
However Ampthill won the ball back from the restart and won a penalty of their own, calmly scored by Josh to again level the game.
The Ampthill defence held firm against the hosts final waves of attack and with the clock in the red Ampthill were awarded a penalty on their own 40m line. Finn Keylock kicked deep into the Richmond 22 and from there the Mob forwards took their opportunity to win the game, James Isaacs forcing the ball down!
Ampthill Points Scorers:
Try: Penalty (7), Smith (47), Isaacs (80)
Conv: Barton (48)
Pen: Barton (54, 78)