10th
December 2005
Stockwood Park 3rd XV 3 - Ampthill Extras 24
This victory over Stockwood Park won’t go down as one of their classics or most memorable. Things didn’t start too well when it was revealed Stockwood had not been appointed a society referee and could not provide one of their own. Phil Stanton volunteered his services unable to resist the chance of his rugby mates calling him ‘sir’ for eighty minutes. Things also took a turn for the worse when Stockwood, much to the annoyance of the Extras’ pack, announced the game would start with uncontested scrums as they could not field a front row at the start of the match.
The match started and within minutes the Extras were three points down after Stockwood successfully kicked three points after being awarded a penalty. Little did the Extras know at this time that it would be about fifty minutes before they would be awarded their first and only penalty of the match. This wasn’t a slur on the quality of refereeing but was more a reflection of how the Extras managed despite having the majority of possession to squander many of their chances themselves without any interference by the opposition.
Stockwood did have a prop arrive that enabled proper scrums to take place. Unfortunately the prop was injured in the first contested scrum and was taken to hospital by ambulance. The match restarted on another pitch but a many from both sides had lost the bite for the match.
Despite a below standard performance the Extras were twenty four points to three winners with tries coming from Ian Browning, Jurrien Heynen, Leigh Clark and Rob Hill. Leigh Clark successfully converted two of them.
All players from both teams wish Stockwood Park’s prop a full recovery.
Forwards: Dean Johnson, Nick Day, Darren Oatley, Simon Rose, Mark Loan, Chris Denton, Richard Beasley, John Wood
Backs: Matt Troiano, Leigh Clark, Jurrien Heynen, Paul Saunders, Ian Browning, Gareth Williams, Rob Hill
Subs: Liam Duffin, Dai Lamrick, Richard Mardle,
Cons: Leigh Clark (2)