Amps ramp it up ahead of pivotal title contest
AMPTHILL maintained their promotion challenge at Clifton Lane, where they won an entertaining clash with a highly satisfactory display.
The five-tries-to-four triumph acted as excellent preparation for this Saturday’s top-of-the-table contest, at home to Old Elthamians.
While Ampthill earned a maximum five points, Rotherham – losing their third game in succession – had to be content with a try bonus point which was thoroughly deserved given their commitment against a team that continually stretched them.
Although Titans scored first when centre Jamie Cooke shot through weak defence, Ampthill recovered strongly to lead 19-7 at the interval following tries by lock Jonathan Kpoku, winger Sam Baker and centre Ollie Morris.
Two second-half tries from flanker Billy Johnson and replacement prop Ralph Adams-Hale increased their control to 31-12, and with full-back James Pritchard adding four conversions, Ampthill had made certain of a 17th league win.
“I’m really pleased, but there are parts of our game that we need to improve,” said head coach Paul Turner.
“We probably left two or three tries out there and we need to be consistent at the lineout and in the scrum.
“There were a couple of things I wasn’t pleased about defensively, but we are a good team, we are hard to beat and I have a lot of faith in the boys.
“We have this big game on Saturday, and there are a lot challenges to come against Darlington, Sale, my old club, and Moseley.
“I can tell you it’s good where we are for this little club and while we were a little too loose against Rotherham, our attack game is pretty good.”
Indeed, Ampthill’s swift and impressive handling put Rotherham under a lot of pressure, but the Titans’ mostly defended solidly.
Periodically, Rotherham attacked impressively, not least when No.8 Seb NagleTaylor dashed 30 metres from a ruck to score his 19th try on 51 minutes, reducing the lead to 19-12.
The Titans, while they’d conceded five tries by the hour, nevertheless took advantage of the few
promising positions they created for their third try – by winger Dan Leake – after sustained attacks close to the Ampthill line.
His 65th-minute score was followed by Leake’s second try at the death, as he collected a long pass to dot down in the corner and claim a valuable point.
By then Ampthill were reduced to 14 men after a yellow card against prop Matt Collins for persistent offending as he tried to disrupt the Titans’ scrums close to Ampthill’s line.
This was Rotherham’s 11th defeat but playercoach Joe Barker saw some encouraging signs:
“I’m delighted with our character and the way we dig in,” he said. “You can never fault that.
“At times, our defence was outstanding and our attack did well but we lost the ball at the breakdown.
“We need to be ruthless but that comes with experience and it’s a young side.”