Dramatic afternoon sees Ampthill Town prevail over Wellington Whitworths

Wellingborough Whitworths beat them in the play-offs last May but the visitors got hot under the collar as Town came from a goal down to beat them 3-1.

The Flourmen took an early lead but in a first half full of incident they went 2-1 down at the break after their keeper saw red and two more players were sin binned.

Town added another in the second half to make it two wins at the start of the new campaign in a match few onlookers will forget.

Whitworths ended Town's promotion hopes last year and they took a fifth minute lead on Saturday when they countered quickly from a home corner and the opening goal was set up for Kobi Bivens to rifle past Ross Tompkins.

Town's Barrett got a yellow for a bad tackle but the Amps were level on 12 minutes when an accurate kick from Tompkins found Danny Watson who turned to rifle home the leveller.

The red mist was evident on 20 minutes when Whitworths keeper Bartoz Wiciak came out for a through ball and was judged to have handled outside the area. After a lengthy delay he got his marching orders to reduce Whitworths to ten men only for Jamie Cerminara's free-kick to cannon off the wall.

A great save from Tompkins kept the score even but temperatures rose further when a Whitworths player got booked for a tackle then sin binned for his protests.

Ampthill's Dan Watson was then chopped down in the area and Town were awarded a spot kick, There was some delay after more dissent and another Whitworths player was sin binned reducing them to eight players.

Cerminara kept his cool and slotted the second Town goal home past the stand in keeper.

There was still time in the half for Sam Holmes to bring a great save from deputy guardian Dan Law while a Cerminara shot crashed off the woodwork.

Whitworths were back to ten men for the second half but on the hour a Cerminara effort was only parried and Sam Holmes slotted in the third.

The Amps should have increased their lead with Danny Butler finding the post after combining with Cerminara and later bringing a superb save from Law when he might have done better.

Sam Holmes headed a chance over and Lawrence Burton was off target late on after being put through.

It was a vital second win at the start of the season for Ampthill but Whitworths doing themselves no favours with their lack of composure while Town might have increased their tally with better finishing

Ampthill have their first away game of the term on Saturday when they go to Rushden and Higham before a home game with neighbours Langford next Tuesday.