Ampthill 35 Wharfedale 29

ANOTHER Tom McGee inspired performance saw Wharfedale earn two valuable points in their battle to retain their National One status.

The Green Machine, playing their last game with McGee as head coach, worked tirelessly to achieve the result.

Both sides scored five tries and the only difference was the excellent kicking of Eliot Clements-Hill who landed all five conversions;

Jamie Guy kicked well for Wharfedale but was off target on three occasions with one of those kicks hitting a post.

The afternoon started poorly for Wharfedale as missed tackles in midfield coupled with a strong burst into the line from George Elliot led to the winger crossing after two minutes to open the scoring. Wharfedale came back strongly and strong running from Cameron Hudson, Matt Beesley and Jordan Poole pinned Ampthill back into their 22.

More pressure was applied and only mistakes from the Greens allowed Ampthill to escape with their line intact.

The afternoon then took a serious turn for the worse. As Ampthill progressed into Dale’s 22 the referee stopped the game as he realised something was wrong.

James Doherty, the Wharfedale scrum half and captain, had taken an accidental knock to the head and was in trouble. Medics were called and eventually Doherty was stretchered off and went on his way to hospital.

The game restarted with an Ampthill scrum, which they won, and then moved forward through six phases. Having sucked the defenders in, they created a massive overlap on the right and Clements-Hill scored.

Ampthill were reduced to 14 men when No 8 Maama Molitika was shown yellow for a high tackle.

A good line-out saw the visitors work the phases and a break by replacement scrum half Jimmy Bullough created pressure and drew the defence.

A long ball to Matt van Sertima was just good enough to allow the winger time and space to cross to open Dale’s account. Guy’s attempt from three metres from the right touch line was just pulled past the post.

After a kicking exchange Dale attacked again from a successful line-out. Runs from Cameron Hudson and Jack Barnard and a deft chip from Rob Baldwin, pressed Ampthill back and forced another penalty.

From the five-metre line-out the Green Machine executed a perfect catch and drive and Matt Beesley was awarded a try. Guy’s conversion meant that the lead had been cut to two points.

Costly mistakes by Wharfedale gave the home side valuable field position and Ampthill finished the half strongly with two catch and drives of their own,which brought two more converted tries to establish a 28-12 half-time lead.

Dale came out for the second half and gave a fully committed performance. They attacked again from a successful line-out on their own ten metre line.

Jordan Poole burst through the middle and placed a superb chip over the full back and was taken out. The officials saw no infringement and Ampthill were allowed to clear.

Wharfedale carried on mounting pressure and had another attacking line-out. Ricky Cano broke from the maul on the blind side to touch down. Again Guy was close but missed another difficult conversion.

Ampthill responded with an attack on Dale’s line and only a try-saving tackle from Jordan Poole kept them out.

They were not to be denied for long. After more pressure scrum half Kevin Barrett nipped through to score.

The conversion from Clements-Hill meant Wharfedale were again looking at an 18-point deficit.

Heads did not drop and the travelling support got even more vocal as the Greens stepped up their efforts.

Dan Tai led the charge and forced a mistake. Repeated infringements in the red zone led to a yellow card for Ampthill’s Ben Gulliver and soon the worthy Buck’s defence crumbled.

Baldwin crashed over for a bonus-point fourth try. Guy added the extras to bring the score to 35-24.

Runs from Tai and Poole took play deep into Ampthill’s 22 and a forward surge put George Hedgley over the whitewash. Guy’s valiant effort from the tee hit the post.

Dale sensed an historic win and attacked from the restart but were frustrated by a handling error. They could have lost a bonus point in the final minute but the reliable Clements-Hill missed a penalty from 40 metres.

The visitors were beaten but gave a performance which was a fitting farewell for their coach as he makes his return to his native Scotland.

Wharfedale: H Bullough; van Sertima, Hudson, Fewtrell, Tai; Guy, Doherty (J. Bullough 14); Cano (Altham 71), Poole, Steel (Wade 40), Hedgley, Willet (Powell 67), Beesley (Graham 77), Barnard, Baldwin (c 14)