Stour stunned the league leaders with an outstanding first half performance that gave them a fully deserved halftime lead. But as bodies tired the Bedfordshire side gained the upper hand, bludgeoning their way to 5 unanswered second half tries. Stour left nothing on the pitch, running themselves to a standstill with their efforts, but ultimately the visitors’ bigger guns won the day and they left deserved victors.

Adam Sturdy and Dale Garner returned to front row starting berths, with Eji Uzoigwe taking a full shift at openside flanker. Ben Hughes also returned from a week off to take a bench slot, otherwise there was little change from the lineup that had secured victory against basement-dwellers Stockport a week before.

Stour kicked off on a rain-softened pitch, defending the north end in front of an enthusiastic crowd of 450. An indiscretion at the first lineout gave Caolan Ryan a long-range shot at goal but his effort flew left. Ampthill flanker Matt Burke then picked up a yellow card for a clumsy high tackle, the penalty was kicked to the 22 & Stour attempted a catch & drive. When it got held up they drove down the middle, Handley held up just short, but Stour recycled patiently through several phases for Ciaran Moore to demonstrate good law awareness, grounding the ball against the base of a post to score. Ryan converted, 5min 7-0.

A handling error gifted the visitors possession in the Stour half, a penalty award was kicked to the corner and a ball carrier worked over the tryline but unable to ground it. Resolute Stour defence kept the visitors at bay but eventually they worked a half-gap for winger Gareth Clarke to score out wide. 12min 7-5.

A penalty award was quickly tapped by Handley, winger Stef Cooksammy breaking through the defences to run deep in the visitors’ 22. Drives by Drew Harper & Moore drew in defenders, the ball was worked wide to Ben Barkley who blasted through 2 defenders to score. 16min 12-5.

A pattern began to emerge as Stour tapped & ran another penalty deep in their half, but the visitors’ defence held them up and possession was conceded through a handling error. A wayward lineout throw allowed Ampthill to attack again but this was thwarted by a determined swarming defence, Moore outstanding as a constant thorn in their side. Unimpressed by the advice coming his way from the visitors referee Luke Haskins issued a lecture to scrum half Gavin Williams. The visitors worked a runner over the line but the ball was dropped before it could be grounded, and a penalty award against the visitors’ scrum was followed by further chat and a 10m advance, Stour getting some respite as Ryan kicked clear.

With the northerly breeze picking up Ryan kicked from the lineout, driving the visitors deep into their half. A tackle offence conceded a penalty on their 22, this was further compounded by more backchat that saw hooker Vili Ma’asi yellow carded as Mr Haskins’ patience ran out. Ryan kicked at goal but fluffed what was by his standards a sitter.

Stour ran the dropout back, patiently working the phases but turning the ball over through a handling error. Moore was out of the blocks too early at a lineout, the visitors kicked the penalty to the 22 and looked to get their catch & drive going. A penalty was again kicked to the corner, Ampthill’s huge prop Joe Sproston drove from short range and scored. Half time 12-10.

Facing a stiff breeze with just a 2 point advantage was always going to be a tough ask for Stour, and it got worse when neat footwork produced a try for fullback Elliot Clements Hill. 42min 12-15. Stour clawed their way back upfield, Uzoigwe breaking into the visitors’ 22 from a turnover but the attack stalled when a support runner spilt the ball, a scrum penalty then allowing Ampthill to clear. Though starting 30m out they managed to rumble a catch & drive over the Stour line for flanker Joe Bercis to score. 50min 12-22.

Stour’s next attack reached the Ampthill 22 but lacking their previous go-forward in the contact area they had to commit too many attackers to secure slow ball, Ryan left with few options but a chip over the top that the visitors defused easily. The ball squirted out of a ruck with Ampthill’s defence stretched and nobody at home on the right side, Handley broke but failed to hear the support runner’s call with just one man to beat. The defender gathered his chip ahead and cleared the danger.

Stour tried to run from deep but found themselves increasingly held up in the contact area, leaving few options but kicks ahead. On came a steady trickle of replacements and a fine Ben Barkley break gave them some much-needed momentum as he reached Ampthill’s 22, but a ball carrier then got isolated and penalised for hanging on in the tackle. Ampthill kicked a further penalty to the corner from where a low drive produced a 2nd try for Bercis. 69min 12-27. Stour looked to attack from deep but an overoptimistic flat pass was picked off and with the defences all at sea winger Darrell Dyer crossed to score. 70min 12-32.

With their tails up the visitors ran from deep, breaking through a tired-looking defensive line. A penalty award was kicked for the corner where Bercis claimed his hat-trick try from a catch & drive. Full time 12-37.