Ampthill Head Coach Dave Ward apologised to the Mob supporters for his teams poor start to the season after watching his side be outscored by ten tries to four at The Butts Park Arena.
“It’s been a really disappointing first block of games and after a good start with ten points from ten in two games, the next five games have been mostly poor. We have some very good players here but you can’t play for 30 mins out of 80 in the Champ, it just won’t cut it.
The weeks break gives us chance to get some of our extensive injury list back and we start the next group of games at Dillingham Park with Hartpury on 29th.”
Coventry opened the scoring on four minutes and fly half Tommy Matthews converted – his first of nine successful kicks, but the Mob soon pinned their hosts back when following multiple patient phases in the gold zone Tongan lock Justin Mataele burrowed over for his first try since signing for the club.
Coventry restored their lead on 17 minutes before Ampthill enjoyed a brief period of control on the game. First, captain Fraser Strachan picked up a loose ball in midfield and fed Josh Barton who beat his man and ran in to score under the posts, before scrum half Efan Jones gave the Mob the lead a minute later scoring the try of the game – picking up off the back of the ruck in his own 22, the Welshman caught the host defence unaware and weaved his way through before striding to the corner to score. Louis Grimoldby’s kick came back off the post but the Mob lead 14-19 with 26 minutes on the clock.
Four Coventry trys in the last ten minutes of the half gave them a 42-19 lead at half time.
An Ampthill bonus point secured midway through the second half, Harrison Dakin getting a deserved try after a busy afternoon, and Academy graduate Aaron Gear coming on for his 1st XV and Champ Rugby debut were highlights of an attritional second period when another four tries gave Coventry a resounding win at home.
Ampthill points scorers:
Tries: Mataele (10), Barton (23), Jones (25), Dakin (67)
Conv: Grimoldby (11, 24, 68)