Ampthill 36 Hartpury 44
Team line-ups (15-9; 1-8):
Ampthill: Tom Bacon, Tobias Elliott, Oli Morris, Fraser Strachan, Brandon Jackson, Gwyn Parks, Charlie Bracken (Pete White 72); Sam Crean (James Flynn 60), Samson Adejimi (Ben Chapman 68), James Johnston (Harvey Beaton 52), Ollie Stonham, Olamide Sodeke (Iwan Shenton 45), Nathan Michelow, Toby Knight, Morgan Strong (c) (Izzy Moore-Aiono 60)
Replacements not used: Josh Smart, Josh Skelcey
Hartpury: Alex Morgan, Ollie Holliday, Robbie Smith, Tommy Mathews, Alex Forrester (Sam Smith 60), Harry Bazalgette, Mike Austin; Aristot Benz-Soloman (James Gibbons 60), Will Crane (Ethan Hunt 40), Jon Benz-Soloman, Dale Lemon, Jack Davies, Sam Lewis, Harry Short (Jarrard Hayler 55), Mitch Eadie (Josh Gray 66)
Replacements not Used: Joe Rees, Cam Cobbett, Rhys Price
Referee: Sam Harding
Attendance: 997
Half-time: 28 – 12 (to Ampthill)
Star man: Harry Bazalgette (Hartpury)
Bazalgette boots Hartpury to victory over the Mob
By James Logan, at The Olney Field, Dillingham Park
Fly-half Harry Bazalgette kicked Hartpury to a nail-biting 44-36 comeback victory against Ampthill at a sun-kissed Dillingham Park on Saturday.
There was plenty for the visiting contingent to enjoy whilst basking in the Bedfordshire sunshine as the hosts threw away a 21-point lead to gift the visitors a famous win on the road.
A joyful Hartpury director of rugby John Barnes said: “Really pleased we got the win, it was touch and go right to the end.
“First half we struggled to get going and we lost a bit of lineout ball and fair play to Ampthill in our 22’ they executed and scored four tries easily.
“I think scoring just before half-time was quite crucial to us as we were only two scores down, then we talked about getting on the ball and taking control and we might score some tries.
“We managed to do that and it could’ve gone either way and we’ve had some good games here in the past and today was another one!”
The hosts would start the fastest going over within the first three minutes, Tobias Elliott finishing off a perfectly worked move to score in the corner. Gywn Parks converted to make it 7-0.
Hartpury would eventually find some momentum after several knock-ons in the Ampthill 22”, Alex Morgan picking up a loose pass to race under the posts. Harry Bazalgette would slot the kick. 7-7.
Ampthill would retake the lead minutes later, Charlie Bracken scoring in the corner following a line-break. That also would be converted. 14-7.
Tobias Elliott would get his brace in the 27th minute scoring in the corner followed up six minutes later by a Brandon Jackson try to make it 28-7.
Hartpury would hit back before the break Jon-Benz Soloman going over from close range to make it a two-score game. Bazalgette missing the conversion. 28-12.
Roles would be reversed in the second-half Hartpury coming out the blocks with replacement Ethan Hunt scoring within four minutes. Bazalgette would convert to narrow the scores. 28-19
The visitors now had momentum and found another minutes later Robbie Smith finishing off a fantastic line-break from Ollie Holliday to score under the posts. Extras added from Bazalgette. 28-26.
Gywn Parks would add a penalty to extend the lead to 31-26.
Brandon Jackson’s unconverted try would regain the lead for the hosts this after Ethan Hunt got his second of the afternoon on the 57th minute mark. 36-31.
However, it would be Alex Morgan and Harry Bazalgette who would have the final say as a try from the full-back and two late penalties secured the visitors a brilliant away win in Ampthill. 36-44.
A deflated Ampthill director of rugby Mark Lavery said: “Disappointed for us it’s the story of our season.
“We’ve lost games we should’ve won and we’ve won games we should’ve lost.
“It shows where we are mentally in midtable and it’s a shame for the last home game of the season for many of these lads.
“Hartpury deserved to win in the end.”
Ampthill:
Tries: Tobias Elliott 3, 27, Charlie Bracken 24, Brandon Jackson 33, 60
Conversions: Gywn Parks 3, 24, 27, 33
Penalties: Gywn Parks 53
Drop Goals: N/A
Hartpury:
Tries: Alex Morgan 21, 72, Jon Benz -Soloman 40, Ethan Hunt 45, 57, Robbie Smith 48
Conversions: Harry Bazalgette 21, 48, 57, 72
Penalties: Harry Bazalgette 76, 79
Drop Goals: N/A
Stats:
Ampthill:
Penalties conceded: 14
Lineouts won: 6
Lineouts lost: 1
Scrums won: 6
Scrums lost: 7
Sin-bins/Reds: 0/0
Hartpury:
Penalties conceded: 6
Lineouts won: 13
Lineouts lost: 4
Scrums won: 7
Scrums lost: 0
Sin-bins/Reds: 0/0
