Ampthill 54 - 19 Wellingborough

Wellingborough remain bottom of Midlands 2 after suffering their 5^th consecutive defeat of the season on their away trip to Ampthill, a match that was very much a game of two halves.

As like the previous weeks, Boro’s team was disrupted and were forced to make late changes even up to Saturday morning, when Craig Hughes pulled out with an injury and was replace by Phil Meyer. 

The game started with Wellingborough playing up the slope with the sun on their backs, something that proved very difficult for the Ampthill full back who struggled all through the opening 40 minutes. A deep kick by Steven Gall was collected by the opposition 15 who tried to clear from his own 22 only for winger Ben Grundy to charge down and gather to score under the post after just 35 seconds of the game. Rob Armstrong converted the try. The home side looked as shocked as the visitors to take the lead.

Poor discipline by Wellingborough resulted in a penalty being awarded to the home side and their inside centre, who had a good day with the boot kicked the 3 points. Minutes later another penalty went against the visitors and Ampthill’s scrum half took a quick tap and ran in un-opposed for a converted try. Ampthill kicked another penalty before Wellingborough came back to life. Joel Dyer intercepted a pass in his 22 and broke away to the opposition half. He did not have the gas to get to the line so some good passing between himself and Tom Meyer lead to Grundy getting his second score of the day. Dyer converted the kick to make the score 14-13 to the visitors. Further ill-discipline from Boro’ allowed Ampthill to kick another penalty to make it 16-14 and retake the lead at the half time whistle.

The feeling amongst the Wellingborough players was good in the dressing room during the break and they came out looking to take the fight the Ampthill. Sadly, this did not happen. Within the first 15 minutes on the restart Ampthill scored 3 tries and the match was lost.

Poor decision making and poor tackling was to blame as all the efforts of the first half were wasted. Ampthill continued to pile on the misery for Boro and things got worse for the visitors as number 8, Liam O’Neill was sin-binned for 10 minutes. On his return, the visitors mounted a strong attack and were rewarded with a consolation try for Armstrong before Ampthill crossed the line again to make the final score 54-19 to the home team.

Wellingborough played their best rugby of the season in the opening 40 minutes but seemed to leave it in the changing room at half time. The opening few weeks have been disappointing for Boro, and a cup game next week means that they will have to wait two weeks to try and get that desperate first league win of their campaign.