15 Brian Todd
14 Dan Glaza
11 John Wansing
13 Mark Fitzgerald
12 Craig Copeland
10 Jay Brewster
9 Kevin Tonkin
1 Brian Geary
2 Mark Ellis
3 Mick Edwards
4 Drew Pangburn
5 John Klein
6 Liam Duffin
7 Brian Sheppard
8 Andy Walters
Ken Sabatini Mick Yates
Tries by: Dan Glaza; Mark Fitzgerald(3) Craig Copeland(2); Mark Ellis, John Klein
Conversions by: Drew Pangburn(5)
VISITS to Northampton clubs inevitably mean meeting solid forward packs, and Casuals were no exception to this.
The Ampthill front five knew they were involved up to their necks from the off., how
ever what they lacked in experience they more than made up for in courage and persistance, and as they stuck at the up-hill task they won enough ball for the threes to produce the team's fifth victory of the season.
At half time the score was 14-12 in the Extras favour from tries by Mark Fitzgerald and Dan Glaza (both converted by Drew Pangburn but as the home team tired from chasing players like Dan Glaza, Mark Fitzgerald and the prolific scoring machine, and the points Craig Copeland flow in
None of Ampthill's tries was easy John Klein in a determined effort to get his name on the score sheet, dragged three defenders over the fine with him. Craig Copeland's tries always look simple but his ability to evade, or shake off, tackles get him there as much as his speed and he bagged a brace in this game.
AGGRESSIVE
Copeland's centre partner, Mark Fitzgerald, is a different style of player. Two second half tries gave him a hat-trick, and one try in which he clashed with three defenders at the same time leaving him on his feet and two defenders out cold on the ground was typical of his agressive game.
In the second half Dan Glaza left the field with a dislocated finger, Jay Brewster, fresh from the Bedford Beer Festival, made his debut in the outside half spot and had an excellent game. One of the moves he set up for Craig Copeland looked like fizzling out when the latter was unusually caught, but almost unnoticed the diminutive form of hooker Mark Ellis stole up and took the pass for his first try in the Extras' colours.
Brian Shepherd, getting fitter with every game, has proved his class already this season and did so again in this game. A fearless tackler he, more than anyone else, stopped the Casuals from getting any threatening moves going. He only blotted a fine day by Setting lost for three quarters of an hour in Northampton coming back to the changing rooms from the pitch only a few miles away.
UNLUCKY
Brian 'Gloves' Todd stopped the Casuals from doubling their score with a crunching tackle on their centre who broke through, but !eft the field soon after suffering from a heavy cold and was replaced by Mick Yates who had only hours earlier arrived home from a subaqua holiday, suffering from sunburn and jet lag.
Ken Sasbatini and John Wansing enjoyed their debut games, with the former unlucky not to round of' with a try and quite uncharecteristically for the team five tries were converted by Drew