Sat 11^th Mar 00

Biggleswade 3^rd  7 – Ampthill Extras 24

15      Gareth Williams         1   Brian Geary

14      Ian Browning   ‡         2   Brian Todd                         

11      Kevin Smith                3   Wayne Peck

13   Rob Mcleod                 4   John Roberts

12   Mike Steeles                5   Terry Norford ‡‡

10   Steve Marsden             6    Liam Duffin (c)

9     Phil Stanton                 7    Ray Nix

8         Ian Wolfe

16   Justin Cobley

17   Christian Hall

Tries:    Roberts, Wolfe, Mcleod, Steeles

Cons:    Marsden (2)

It was business as usual as the Extras were back to their winning ways. Due to an Ampthill Colts game being played the Extras were without regulars Paddy, Jamie Dix and Matt Taylor. Call in Mike Steeles, Rob Mcleod & Kevin Smith.

 The Ampthill pack took command from the off, constantly driving the Biggy pack backwards the Ampthill backs enjoyed a regular flow of good clean possession. Steve Marsden playing fly half used centres Mike Steeles & Rob Mcleod to constantly cut through the Biggy defence.

 The first score came after John ‘Scouser’ Roberts found himself through a maul and over the line for a try. The forwards hard work had paid off. 5 – 0 took the Extras points tally through the 600 mark for the season. A spell of great fifteen man rugby (even involving Brian Todd) followed before Ian Wolfe held off the ground over the try line somehow managed a one handed touchdown. The conversion by Steve Marsden took his own points this season through the 100 mark. 12 – 0 Extras. A short while later the referee blew his whistle for half – time. Thirty players looked blankly at each other until someone asked the ref if he was playing 40 minutes each half. He re-examined his watch, realised he had blown 15 minutes too early and allowed play to continue. Scrum to blacks, or was it blues? I can’t remember now & I’m sure he didn’t know then. In this last fifteen minute period the backs were finally rewarded for all their ingenuity when Rob Mcleod was over the line. The try converted it was now 19 – 0 Extras. 

A small change of personnel at half time brought big Justin Cobley onto the scene. Justin & Scouser jumping secured most of the lineout ball during the game. The second half was a much scrappier affair. The Extras lost their flow and Phil Stanton, an army Major (stressed from not being able to fix his quota of faulty rifles) started barracking his troops for individual try scoring efforts.

 There were probably only two moments really worth mentioning in the second half. Firstly a superb try for the Extras starting from behind the Extras own try line. The ball was passed back to Steve Marsden who ran between the posts before passing to Rob Mcleod then to Mike Steeles who went on to run the length of the pitch to touch down. 24 – 0 Extras. The second memorable moment came when Wayne Peck’s late tackle resulted in a bleached haired centre wrapping himself around Wayne raining blows onto his back. They went to ground, Wayne was heard to have said ‘do you want some’ the blows continued – he clearly did.

 Biggy did not lay down and die in the second half and they came away with a deserved converted try.