Hartpury take control as A’s pay for their ill-discipline

■By BEN WHITE

Ampthill …………21pts

Tries: Courtney 20, Barton 36, Mapapalangi 69

Conversions: Grimoldby 21, 37; Keylock 70

Hartpury …………31pts

Tries: Lennon 16, Davies 40, Hart 43, Morgan 62

Conversions: Bazalgette 17, 40, 44, 63 Penalties: Bazalgette 72

HARTPURY secured their first away league win since the opening weekend of the season, in an ill-disciplined affair at Dillingham Park.

Hartpury head coach Mark Cornwell said: “I sensed the momentum swing at half-time, and we pounced on them coming out with 13 men in the second half, and we scored a good try straight away which helped. I’m happy with the bonus point win.”

After a yellow card for Totoa Auvaa in the 14th minute, Hartpury opened the scoring in the 16th minute, thanks to a sniping finish in the corner from scrum-half Oscar Lennon.

Ampthill levelled the match with a converted score of their own four minutes later. Valentino Mapapalangi sublimely offloaded to Harrison Courtney, who had the time and space to dive underneath the sticks.

Ampthill took the lead for the first time in the 36th minute. Following a yellow card to replacement Freddie Thomas a minute earlier, Josh Barton fell across the try line after receiving a sharp pass from Efan Jones.

Hartpury levelled at 14-14 at half-time with their second score of the match after their co-captain Jack Davies forced his way over from close range, but Ampthill were reduced to 13 men in the process following a yellow card to Olamide Sodeke and a straight red to Totoa Auvaa for a punch.

Hartpury scored two tries in the opening 25 minutes of the second half to secure the try bonus point and take a commanding 14 point lead. Ampthill failed to deal with two grubber kicks inside their in-goal area, with Ellis Hart and Alex Morgan able to ground the loose ball in the 43rd and 62nd minutes respectively.

Ampthill reduced the arrears to seven points with just over 10 minutes to go. Following a yellow card to Hartpury flanker Jarrard Hayler shortly before, Valentino Mapapalangi bulldozed his way across the try line from close range.

Harry Bazalgette slotted a penalty to extend the lead to 21-31 and Hartpury held on the win, leaving Ampthill ona run of five straight league defeats.

Ampthill captain on the day Charles Rylands said: “It was a classic game of two halves, we fronted up in the first half but it’s tough to win any game when you have 14 men for so long, and some of errors we made in the second half made it difficult for ourselves.”