Sat 10^th Feb 01

Ampthill Extras 19 – Leighton Buzzard 15 

Tries:  Tom Gray, Kevin Smith, Graham Clark

Cons:  Ian Browning       

 On a cold February afternoon the Extras finally got to represent Ampthill RFC in the Beds Level 6 Cup. After last week’s disappointment of not playing Luton, the Extras got a taste of league rugby against a Leighton Buzzard 3^rd team that had, of late, a few impressive wins under their belt.

 This game was to be a hard fought battle in which the lead changed on more than one occasion.

 The Extras, though always on top, were hindered by a referee who allowed the Leighton forwards to lay over the ball like a rug over a living room floor. This prevented Ampthill from recycling the ball for second phase possession. It didn’t help matters when the Buzzard hooker left the pitch with a broken nose, this resulted in uncontested scrums, a real blow as Ampthill were dominating this area of the game. 

 Despite a very stop start game Ampthill managed to score first when Kevin Smith ran through to make it 5 – 0 to the Extras. 

Leighton hit back with a penalty to make it 5 – 3.

 A short while into the second half Leighton scored a try in a movement which involved a dubious pass which to many looked forward. Not though to the ref. A later breakaway try from Leighton left Ampthill trailing 15 – 5.

 Now it was the turn of the big guns to salvage the game. Tom Gray and Graham Clark stormed over the line each in their individual powerful ways. With both tries converted Ampthill were the victores 19 – 15.

 It was commented in the bar by many the pure decibel pollution created by big Clarky when felled to the ground by the smallest player on the pitch as he disagreed vocally with the referee as to whether or not he was held in the tackle.