Sat 18^th Mar 00

Long Buckby 3^rd  15 – Ampthill Extras 36

15      Dave Ratcliffe  ‡‡      1   Brian Geary

14      Ian Browning              2   Brian Todd         

11      Gary Bass                    3   Wayne Peck

13   Rob Mcleod                 4   Paul Rigby

12   Kevin Smith                5   Terry Norford

10   Steve Marsden             6   Liam Duffin (c)

9     John Lasbry                 7   Derek Welton

8   Dave Peck

16   Allistair Renwick

Tries:    Browning (2), Bass, Welton, Mcleod (2)

Cons:    Marsden (3)

The sun was shining but the Extras weren’t on this occasion. Ampthill’s forwards struggled to hold their own against Buckby’s Jurassic Pack. Camped for the first few minutes of the game within their own 22 it was a break away try from Ian Browning against the run of play for the first score of the game to go to the Extras.

 The Buckby backs never really looked threatening on the occasions when they had possession and showed defensive weaknesses halting Extras attacks. Further tries were scored in the first half by Gary ‘Trigger’ Bass and Rob Mcleod. Two conversions from Steve Marsden meant the Extras were 19 – 0 in the lead.

 Dave ‘Ratty’ Ratcliffe showed some great displays of counter attack. Catching the ball in his own 22, a dummy, a shimmy and then the now infamous ‘Ratty Belly Flop’ saw the ball fly forward as if it were a bar of soap.

 Towards the end of the first half Buckby had the ball a short way out from the Extra’s try line. Enter the ushers. The Buckby centre was ushered over the try line by Liam Duffin and Kevin ‘Smudger’ Smith, and then finally shown to his seat by Steve Marsden. 19 – 5 to the Extras at half time.

 The second half was much the same as the first. Ratty stood down to allow Allistair Renwick to make his Extras debut. There was a second try for Rob Mcleod, then Derek Welton powered his way over the line to put the Extras well in command. Long Buckby twice caught the Extras off guard and breached the Extras try line to put their final tally to 15. There was also another try for Ian Browning set up with some great link work passing through five or six sets of hands before Ian finally touched down.

 In the last few minutes of the game Wayne ‘Cuddles’ Peck had a roll around on the floor with the Buckby prop in an entertaining display that not even the WWF fight choreographers could have created. Not to be outdone moments later Paul ‘Slugger’ Rigby and his heavyweight opponent lay down on the floor and decided to exchange blows with each other.

 When the final whistle blew the Extras left the field 36 – 15 winners.