Coventry bring Ampthill run to an end

By KEVIN MILLER

Ampthill ………… 21pts

Tries: Harris 13, Devine 25, Finlay 55

Conversions: Hardwick 14, 26; Bragmann 56

Coventry ………. 45pts

Tries: Rigg 3, Martin 8, 60; Smith 10, 39; Ma'asi 16, Lane 68

Conversions: Mitchell 4, 9, 11, 17; Talbot-Davies 69

Coventry head coach Alex Rae was humble in victory having watched his side run in seven tries at Dillingham Park to end Ampthill's winning run.

Rae was proud of how his side kept fighting to the end to deny Ampthill a losing bonus point.

“It's the first time Coventry have won here and we're well aware of how tough a place this is,” said Rae. “Ampthill were on a four game winning streak themselves.

“Towards the end, they could have got a bonus point but we defended to the last whistle. We could've been more clinical but that's credit to Ampthill because they never go away. It's a really good win for us.”

Coventry effectively put the game to bed in the opening ten minutes – tries from Will Rigg in the corner, wing James Martin following an end-to-end play and then lock George Smith all converted by Evan Mitchell giving the visitors a 21-0 advantage.

A 12th minute yellow card to Coventry's Will Talbot-Davies for a deliberate knock-on gave Ampthill a numerical advantage that they quickly made count, Ben Harris finishing wide right withTom Hardwick's converting.

Coventry restored their 21-point lead soon after when hooker Suva Ma'asi, the son of Ampthill coach Vili, scored their bonus point try from a training ground catch and drive.

Ampthill scored their second when lock Cai Devine crossed following patient phases in the Coventry 22, but Coventry completed the first half scoring on the stroke of half-time, George Smith getting his second from another driving maul.

Ampthill came out firing in the second half and got their third try in the 55th minute. Scrum-half Lewis Finlay took a quick tap penalty and when the first forward drive failed, replacement prop Jake Ellwood was on hand to pick and go.

Ampthill continued to chase a bonus point, wing Ben Cambriani constantly proving a threat down the left flank, but were snuffed out each time by resolute Cov defence.

Coventry scored a sixth when James Martin finished another end to end play for his second of the game – Ampthill leaving holes chasing their bonus point – before Will Lane completed the scoring in the left corner.

Ampthill head coach Paul Turner said: “We're disappointed with that performance, we lost the game in the first half. We were poor, made too many errors and left too big a difference to catch up.

“We were brave in the second half and should've got over for a bonus point. Everything we didn't do in the first half came back to haunt us. The scoreline was probably a fair result.”