Warriors secure bonus point win over Ampthill

Worcester Warriors bounced back from last week’s defeat with an eight-try win under the Sixways lights against Ampthill.

Jasper Spandler, Matt Kvesic, and Will Trewin all crossed for two tries each for Worcester, with Tiff Eden and Tim Anstee also crossing.

Ampthill also came away from Sixways with a bonus point thanks to two tries from Oscar Wilson and one each from Totoa Auvaa and Mason Cullen.

Warriors took the lead after five minutes when a driving maul motored towards the line with Spandler getting over on his first start for the club, with Eden knocking over the first of eight conversions.

There was plenty of early niggle in the game as both sides looked to grasp the momentum of the fixture, and that momentum soon swung the way of the visitors.

Two quick-fire tries from centre Wilson put Ampthill ahead, with the second try coming from a quick thinking inside their own half before Wilson raced down the wing.

Just three minutes later Warriors driving maul found the line once more, with Spandler getting a second.

But Ampthill found themselves ahead once more just before the half-hour mark when second-row Auvaa crashed over with Grimoldby adding a third conversion.

Ampthill’s Kennedy Sylvester saw yellow for a head-on-head collision with Khalik Kareem, and Worcester soon capitalised.

First, Kvesic crossed from the back of another successful driving maul before Trewin marked his Warriors competitive debut with a try out wide on the stroke of half-time.

Worcester came out of the break ahead on the scoreboard, and they extended their lead just two minutes into the half when Ampthill were forced back over their own line with the ball bobbling out before Eden pounced for the hosts fifth try.

And the sixth try came on the fifty-minute mark when some delightful build-up play saw the ball out to Anstee, who cut inside the final defender to dive over.

Warriors attack was purring and a magic break from Jake Garside put Ampthill on the back foot with his link-up with Tom Seabrook, allowing Trewin to cross for his second.

Both sides began to ring the changes, which stunted the games momentum, but it was Ampthill who troubled the scoreboard next when winger Cullen read the intercept perfectly to run in from half-way.

Ampthill flanker Charles Rylands became the second visitor to see yellow for a dangerous tackle, and the Worcester attack continued to push for an eighth try with Louis Brown and Juan González linking up well.

And as the clock ticked into the red, Kvesic crossed for his second from a close-range quick tap penalty to round-off the bonus point victory under the lights.

Warriors 56

T – Spandler 5’, 23’, Kvesic 35’, 80’, Trewin 40’, 53’, Eden 42’, Anstee 50’

C – Eden 5’, 23’, 35’, 40’, 42’, 50’, 53’, 80’

Ampthill 28

T – Wilson 16’, 20’, Auvaa 28’, Cullen 65’

C – Grimoldby 16’, 20’, 28’, Barton 65’

YC – Sylvester 32’, Rylands 69’

Warriors Team

15 Louis Brown, 14 Juan González, 13 Tom Seabrook, 12 Billy Twelvetrees (Will Reed 58’), 11 Will Trewin (Alfie Garside 53’), 10 Tiff Eden, 9 Jake Garside (Will Lane 55’); 1 Mikey Summerfield (Billy Keast 50’), 2 Jasper Spandler (Will Biggs 55’), 3 Ashley Challenger (Tim Hoyt 50’), 4 Hallam Chapman, 5 Tim Anstee, 6 George Young (Will Jeanes 19’), 7 Matt Kvesic ©, 8 Khalik Kareem (Thabo Ndimande 50’)

Ampthill Team

15 Josh Barton, 14 Mason Cullen, 13 Oscar Wilson, 12 Fraser Strachan ©, 11 Seva Kava, 10 Louis Grimoldby (M Salisbury 58’), 9 Efan Jones (R Morgan 58’); 1 Jevaughn Warren (H Courtney 50’), 2 Samson Adejimi (H Dakin 62’), 3 Callum Norrie (J Johnston 62’), 4 Totoa Auvaa, 5 Kennedy Sylvester (J Parkinson 62’), 6 Barney Merrett (O Mullarkey 55’), 7 Charles Rylands, 8 Kima Ravuvu (T Mapapalangi 50’)

Our Match Sponsor Man of the Match Will Trewin, as chosen by Blackpole 

Our Match Ball Sponsor Man of the Match Tiff Eden, as chosen by Droitwich Spa Hospital

A big thank you to Evertons Wine Merchants and Pommery for providing the Player of the Match Champagne