Ampthill on form for big derby against Bedford Blues this weekend

A week before the Mob had produced a shock win over table-topping Ealing Trailfinders, which head coach Paul Turner described as the biggest win in the club's history.

Needing to back that up, Ampthill travelled north to the Wirral to face old rivals Caldy and eventally came out on top after a powerful second half.

Turner said: “We made too many errors in the first half and were staring down the barrel going in 20-5 down at the break.

“We told the players at half-time to focus on our game and the opportunities would come and they did.

“I’m proud of the character we displayed in the second half and this result gives us some momentum before we face Blues this week in another tough game.”

Ampthill won the toss and opted to play uphill and into the wind.

The Mob started fast and took only two minutes to open the scoring – Tobias Elliot breaking on halfway, finding fly half Josh Barton on his inside, who raced away to score wide right, the conversion missed.

Caldy were playing with and using the wind to put pressure on the Ampthill defence and a 10th minute penalty in front of the posts reduced the arrears - the second of 10 penalties conceded by the Mob in the first half as Caldy went into a 20-5 interval lead.

Whatever was said in the dressing room, Ampthill came out firing for the second half with fly-half Barton pulling the strings.

The Ampthill backs combined to attack the hosts and Brandon Jackson danced through the Caldy defence to score just right of posts. A successful conversion reduced the deficit to 20-12.

Ten minutes later Ampthill were just one point behind, Jackson with his second and another successful conversion from Barton.

Caldy were struggling to exit their 22 and a 75th minute penalty in front of the posts gave Barton an opportunity to retake the lead for Ampthill at 22-20.

And in the final minute of normal time Jackson finished his hat-trick with a simple conversion for Barton.