Ampthill vs Ealing Trailfinders

Match Report

Ealing Trailfinders secure a bonus-point win against Ampthill at the StoneX. 

Louie Johnson kicked off the match with Ampthill gathering cleanly. Efan Jones controlled the ball from the base of the ruck until Ampthill spilt the ball forward.

Trailfinders won their opening scrum and secured the advantage. The men in green ran phases of attack with Fyn Brown out on the wing. Ampthill reacted and dragged Brown into touch.

Ampthill retained possession from their lineout and crept forward. The home side broke down the right to score the opening try. Nathan Blackmore was the recipient and the conversion was successful by Raff Weston.

Handling errors continued for Trailfinders despite them showing great attacking aspiration. An early change in the centres saw Rory Scannell leave the field with injury. Hayden Hyde shifted into the centre channel with Fionn Gibbons coming onto the field to cover the wing.

Trailfinders found their flow when Louie Johnson broke through the gainline and passed the ball inside to Reuben Bird-Tulloch who scored. Johnson left the field with an injury so Michael Stronge kicked the conversion. The ball hit the posts and bounced outside. Two points differentiated the two teams.

With two early changes in the backs, Trailfinders had to adapt quickly. They rolled with continued attacking momentum. After winning a five metre penalty, Trailfinders opted for the lineout. Mike Willemse threw the ball straight and true and got to the back of the maul. The skipper had his hands on the ball and moved forward with the maul for the second try. With Trailfinders’ replacement fly-half on the field, Dan Jones successfully slotted the conversion.

Ampthill replied quickly. The home side got the ball downfield to set their forwards up. Ed Timpson scored from short range. Weston slotted the conversion.

Both teams showed promise in defence and attack, with Ampthill drawing penalties at the breakdown.

Gibbons made a break and was set to score before the ball fell loose from his hands. The replacement winger sought his redemption five minutes later after Conor Oliver stole the ball after an Ampthill scrum. The ball was sent wide to the wing to Gibbons who scored in the corner. Jones added the extras.

Midfield play saw out the clock in the first half before Efan Jones chose to kick the ball into touch and end the first half.

Half-time: Ampthill 14-19 Ealing Trailfinders 

With five points differentiating the two sides at the start of the second half, Ampthill looked for kicking territory. Trailfinders debutant Max Nagy cleanly gathered in the backfield and put boot to ball and sent it downfield.

A kicking battle unfolded until Hyde cleanly gathered a box kick from Efan Jones. A quick ball from Hyde to Dan Jones set Bird-Tulloch up for a second score as the centre sliced through Ampthill for Trailfinders’ fourth try. The conversion was unsuccessful.

Ampthill replied with a 22 entry but the men in green continued their strong defensive pressure to force the knock-on. Trailfinders saw out the passage of play and opted for a 50:22 with success. The visitors continued to draw penalties. A scrum penalty for Trailfinders gave Willemse the option to tap and go. The forwards carried in short range with Conor Oliver getting the fruits of his team’s labour.

The home side were not to be put down. Another immediate reply from Ampthill saw them soar through Trailfinders in a fantastic display of offloading. Oscar Bennett was the try-scorer. The conversion was unsuccessful.

Trailfinders won a pivotal penalty as the clock went into the final quarter. D.Jones sent the ball downfield into touch. Yet, loose ball after a clean lineout gave the hosts possession.

Ampthill later kicked possession away. Hyde gathered and put a grubber through Ampthill’s defence. A chase from Hyde and Bird-Tulloch gave Trailfinders the edge. Hyde gathered his own kick to score. D.Jones added the extras.

Trailfinders’ try-scoring machine was unleashed as Craig Hampson dictated the ball wide out to Nagy on the wing. The fullback scored in the righthand corner for a try on debut.

Gibbons earnt himself a break down the righthand channel a few moments later. Although he was tackled just before reaching the whitewash, Jordy Reid finished the job to score the final try of the game. Jones slotted the conversion before the referee blew his whistle for full-time.

Full-time: Ampthill 19-50 Ealing Trailfinders 

Player of the Match: Max Nagy