Week 21.  4^th Mar 00

v Northampton Old Scouts Vets XV (A)      LOSE 12-3

1.        Paul Rigby

2.        Gez Ingarfield  (65 mins)

3.        Wayne Peck

4.        Justin Cobley

5.        Terry Norford

6.        Liam Duffin (c)

7.        Ray Nix

8.        Dave Peck

9.        Dougie Parks

10.     Johnston (Paddy) Bradley   

11.     Gary Bass

12.     Steve Marsden

13.     Matt Taylor   

14.     Ian Browning

15.     Jamie Dix ‡ (20 mins)

16.     Chris Hopgood ‡

Pens:  Johnston (Paddy) Bradley 

The Millenium bubble finally as the Extras lost their first game of the century ending a run of 11 games unbeaten. It had to happen and finally did against the ‘Auld Enemy’ Scouts. Moments after an earlier encounter with the Scouts, in which the Extras were victorious, Gav Griffith was heard saying ‘You’d better make sure you have a good side out against these next time you play them’. Gav was right in his feelings - Scouts were well up for a victory.

 Setting foot upon a long grassed, barely marked muddy pitch it was soon apparent there was not even a match ball let alone a practice ball for either side to use. After a fifteen minute delay for a ball to be found, the ref eventually blew for the start of the game. Ampthill kicked off, and a big hit from Justin Cobley on the catcher, adjudged by the ref to be high resulted in a penalty to Scouts. This set the tone for the game. Ampthill never really got into it.

 Scrum after scrum suffocated possession from the faster Ampthill backs. The big boys of Northampton controlled the direction in which the game was going.

 Jamie Dix had to leave the pitch with an injury to his shin and later Gez Ingarfield departed with a pulled muscle in his neck. Gary ‘Trigger’ Bass emerged from a ruck with a boot having transformed him from human to Star Trek mutant. After this he was not the same, dazed, he dropped two consecutive high balls. Claiming each time he saw three balls coming down st once, a comment was heard from a team mate ‘well it would have been nice if he could have caught one of them’. With the Extras down to fourteen men the comeback was never to be.

 A moment of consolation came with a well kicked penalty taken by Bradley ‘Paddy’ Johnston just short of the half way line.