Sat 06^th September 03
Ampthill Extras 36 – Towcester 3^rd XV 5 

Extras prove too tasty for Towcester. 

The first Saturday in September was back. So too were the Extras. The start of their campaign saw them the only team playing at Ampthill. 

The amount of effort put in by the Extras players to get fit in the summer showed in the first five minutes. Towcester scored a try. 

The effect was the equivalent of a giant alarm clock ringing and waking the men in black. First to get out of bed was fly half Shaun Wood. From twenty yards out he ran through a couple of Towcester players to score under the posts. Wood converted to take the extras into the lead.  

Mark Loan, Wood for a second & Gary Brill all crossed the line to score in the first half for the Extras to no reply from the Towcestarians. With the uphill half over it looked it would take a great deal to take the lead from the Extras. 

Throughout the game, Brid Tour’s Man of Steel, Ray Nix was carrying the number seven jersey everywhere over the park. Ampthill’s back row were often first to breakdown ensuring the ball was constantly recycled by the Ampthill side. 

Good positional kicking by Wood to wingers Gareth Williams and Gary Bass created some good attacking displays throughout. 

Three quarters of Jason Massingham returned to the fray from last season. Rumoured to have spent up to twenty eight thousand pounds on a personal trainer Jason had shed five of his previous seasons twenty stone in the summer. Jason’s support was noted. 

Throughout the game, Brid Tour’s Man of Steel, Ray Nix was carrying the seven jersey everywhere over the park. Ray was rewarded with a second half try. Ampthill’s back row were much sharper to the breakdown ensuring the ball was constantly recycled to the Extras during the match. 

Debutant Chris Holt scored a try running almost half the length of the pitch scored in the second half.  

Tries:          Shaun Wood (2), Mark Loan, Ray Nix, Gary Brill, Chris Holt

Cons:          Shaun Wood (3)