By Coventry Rugby 
by Alex Didlick
On a grey and blustery afternoon in Bedfordshire, Coventry were drawn into a breathless, back-and-forth battle with Ampthill that refused to settle. Momentum swung wildly, leads changed hands, and with both sides trading tries almost at will, it was a contest that demanded character as much as quality. In the end, it was Coventry who held their nerve when it mattered most.
Ampthill got us underway on a moody afternoon in Bedfordshire, and early exchanges quickly settled into a tactical kicking battle. Neither side wanted to overplay in tricky conditions. The hosts were handed the first real opportunity, a penalty just inside the Coventry half allowing entry into the 22. Coventry defended the initial maul superbly, but Ampthill struck shortly after. From a scrum, fly-half Josh Barton hit a sharp line off Efan Jones to open the scoring. 7-0.
Alex Rae’s side needed territory, and they found it following an Ampthill knock-on. A penalty put Coventry five metres out. Ampthill cleared initially, but the pressure remained. A powerful carry from Allan Ferrie, off a neat pop from Morgan Strong, took Coventry to the brink before Tommy Mathews finished the move in the next phase. A composed response after a conservative start.
Ampthill, however, looked sharp and quickly regained the lead. Relentless tempo brought them back into the Coventry 22, and Totoa Auvaa powered over to make it 12-5.
Green influenced proceedings, charging down a kick to put Coventry back on the front foot, but penalties stalled momentum at key moments. Discipline was proving costly.
Coventry’s best attacking sequence of the half followed. From inside their own half, slick hands through the backs created space, and sustained possession ended with Senitiki Nayalo applying the finishing touch. Once again this season, Ampthill found themselves pegged back. 12-12.
The remainder of the half swung back and forth. A penalty against Coventry allowed Ampthill into the 22, but strong defence spoiled their lineout. A scrum penalty offered Coventry the chance to lead before the break, yet Ampthill regained control and nudged ahead with a late penalty to take a 15-12 advantage into half-time.
Coventry were well in the contest but knew the penalty count needed tightening if they were to go on to win the game.
The second half began poorly for the visitors. A turnover inside their own half sparked an Ampthill break, and Oscar Wilson finished under the posts. 22-12.
But again, Coventry responded almost immediately. A driving maul, a familiar weapon this season-saw Jordon Poolecrash over from close range. 22-19.
Momentum had shifted. Coventry took the lead for the first time soon after with typical phase pressure. Multiple carries over the gain line, highlighted by a storming break from Ewan Baker, set the platform for Morgan Strong to finish. 22-26.
Ampthill though refused to fade. Buoyed by the home crowd, they struck again as Efan Jones released Oscar Wilson for his second of the half. 29-26, and the contest continued to swing.
Then came another big moment. Tom Bacon nailed a superb 50:22 to put Coventry deep in Ampthill territory. Api Bavadra sliced through the defensive line, and sustained pressure resulted in Coventry’s fifth try to retake the lead once more. 31-29.
True to the pattern of the game, the Mob answered again, Joe Heslop this time squeezing over in the corner to edge Ampthill back in front. Control was in short supply from either side but for the fans it was gripping stuff. 36-31.
Coventry earned a penalty straight from the restart to inspire one final decisive moment within the Ampthill 22. The kick went to the corner, the maul formed, and replacement Murray Davidson grounded a textbook move to restore the advantage with just over five minutes remaining. 40-36.
Ampthill had one final opportunity from a lineout five metres out, but the throw sailed long. Coventry cleared partially and, with defensive resolve, forced the decisive turnover in the closing moments.
The full-time whistle confirmed a remarkable 40-36 victory. In a contest that felt closer to basketball than rugby at times, Coventry showed resilience and composure when it mattered most. Both sides traded blows all afternoon, but Rae’s men landed the final one and head back up the M1 with a hard-earned win.
Goal kicking
Tommy Mathews: 5/6
Josh Barton- 4/5
Try Scorers:
Coventry Rugby- Tommy Mathews (19’), Senitiki Nayalo (30’), Jordon Poole (46’), Morgan Strong (50’), Api Bavadra (61’), Murray Davidson (73’)
Ampthill- Josh Barton (11’), Totoa Auvaa (20’), Wilson (43’, 60’), Joe Heslop (68’)
Line-ups:
Coventry Rugby- Aristot Benz-Salomon, Jordon Poole ©, Eliot Salt, Dan Green, Senitiki Nayalo, Allan Ferrie, Tom Ball, Morgan Strong, Josh Barton, Tommy Mathews, Ewan Baker, Morgan Adderly-Jones, Dayfdd-Rhys Tiueti, David Opoku-Fordjour, Tom Bacon
Finishers: Murray Davidson, Keston Lines, Matt Johnson, Jack Shine, Mackenzie Graham, Tom Miles, Api Bavadra, Onisivoro Sukani Nayagi
