Match Report

Harpenden Squad: 56, Ampthill Extras 21

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Despite setting off north up the M1 to travel south to Hertfordshire, Lewis Cooper managed to arrive just before kick-off to give the Extras a squad of 28 to face a strong Harpenden club squad.

With microphoned match officials, a 4g pitch and a gathering crowd, it was a great setting to get back to playing rugby.

The Extras kicked off to start the match, the ball was taken cleanly by home team and the onslaught began. Despite some big hits going in from the Ampthill boys, the Hertfordshire outfit held dominated possession. Within just a few minutes and the Extras barely getting a touch of the ball, Harpenden were two tries up.

Ampthill finally got the ball in hand. Strong running from debutant Joe Barker broke Ampthill through the Harpenden defence and they worked their way up the pitch. This passage of play culminated in James Little being brought down just shy of the home team’s try line.

It was clear that Ampthill were up against a squad of players competing for Harpenden 1st team places. Harpenden soon got possession and their dominance was a feature of the first half. Ampthill players were putting in hit after hit but the strength of Harpenden’s team left the Extras 49-0 down at half time.

A change of teams by both squads was the order of play. The second half saw the sun break free from it’s cloudy shackles and so too the Extras fightback.

The Extras were now in the driving seat. Within a few minutes of the restart some great interplay saw Will Norford darting through the Harpenden defence to score the Extras first try. Converting his own try the Extras now had points on the board.

Harpenden responded with another try of their own, though this was to be the last that they would register for the afternoon.

As the match was into the last quarter, captain Andy Hill charged over the line for Ampthill’s second and Will Norford duly converted.

The final, and arguably the most popular try by crowd reaction, came from Tom Watson. Watto, from his own half, somehow weaved between Harpenden defenders before putting on the after burners on in a spectacular sprint for the line.

Norford converted giiving the a more respectable 56-21 final scoreline.

The scoreline can be deceiving and certainly does not reflect the commitment that the entire Extras squad put in for the full 80 minutes of this encounter.

Final Result

Harpdenden 1st/2nd XV: 56, Ampthill Extras: 21

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