A final Counties 1 Cumbria League win of the season for Ambleside was a remarkable effort which typified the new spirit and commitment at Galava Park.
Deep into the first-half they trailed 27-0 to a powerful St Benedict’s side and although they did manage a converted try before the break the odds were stacked against them.
Recent history was stacked against them for in the last two-and-a-half years they have never come from behind to win any game and they have never beaten a top six team from Cumbria League One.
All that was about to change for in a pulsating recovery Ambleside came back to win a thriller 28-27.
Benny’s had raced into a 21-0 lead with three quick ties from Ryan Corlett, Steven Caulfield and Fletcher Creasy, all converted by Aidan Pirie.
When Pirie added a penalty the large Ambleside crowd feared the worst and the same player added another successful kick when Ambleside were penalised in front of their own posts.
It meant Ambleside would have to score four tries, convert them and not concede another point to win the game, something they had never done before.
However, following a stern talking to by coach Matty Kaye something changed in the Ambleside’s players’ minds, and they started to run good hard strong lines carrying the fight to St Benedict’s.
The tackling improved and they began to rock the opposition backwards for the first time in the game.
A quick tap from Tom Alday, making his return from injury, to Matty Kaye saw him off-load to Tadgh Butler who popped a nice pass out round his back to the rampaging Nick Baylis running a cracking line. It caught the opposition sleeping as he crashed over next to the posts and Kaye converted.
Half time came and went with some tactical changes and advice from coach Kaye to the Ambleside team and the home side continued to press with strong carries in midfield from Dan Akrigg making good yards.
It was a kick through from the St Benedict’s full-back which was spilled by a team-mate which led to Ambleside’s next score.
From just inside his own half. Cam Penn looked up to see fifteen opposition players in front of him and the try line.
He dummied his way past the first two, put in a cheeky chip over the defensive back line , re-gathered his own kick and skinned the full back for pace to score just left of the posts for a superb individual try which Kaye converted.
St Benedict’s were now seriously rattled and started to commit numerous penalties, losing shape and discipline by talking back to the referee.
Ambleside introduced the dynamic Orlando Hogg, explosive in attack and defence and the Ambleside spirits were lifted as he ran the ball into contact and took three opponents with him as he crashed over the line close enough to the posts for Kaye to convert.
It was now 21-27 – surely not, but it was certainly game on in the last 10 minutes with everything to play for.
Ambleside’s front row was starting to dominate but with time running out they spun the ball out wide only for the pass to go to ground.
Young Leo Zanco, the new Ambleside winger from university, pounced on the loose ball and set off down the touch line.
Having beaten three players it looked like he would score in the corner until he was bundled into touch and it looked game over.
However, from the St Benedict’s line-out throw Ambleside second row Nick Baylis stole the ball with one hand and popped it down to scrum half Tom Alday.
It went quickly through the hands until Dan Akrigg broke the line, offloaded to the supporting Ben Glynn who cheekily touched down under the posts to give Kaye the easiest of conversions and send the crowd into raptures.
St Benedict’s did have one last chance to win it after a penalty was awarded to them but Pirie’s attempt drifted wide of the posts and Ambleside had recorded one of the unlikeliest – but best victories in their recent history.
When director of rugby Andy Brown and head coach Matty Kaye arrived at Ambleside RUFC two-and-a-half years ago they wanted to instil a love of rugby back into the players post-Covid.
The other object was to put a team together who when things got tough knew how to stick together as a group of mates and go into battle and play for each other putting the team before everything else.
Although Ambleside had won 18 games in that time the team had never done anything like they had in this contest.
Man of the Match could have been anyone of the Ambleside team but on this occasion, it had to go to the coach Kaye for some great game management when 27 to nil down and under enormous pressure to make the right call every time.
The win cements Ambleside’s position of 9th in Counties 1 Cumbria in only their second season back in the league system, an amazing achievement given the young average age of the players who come from far and wide to represent the club, with 10 of the players being 18 or 19 years of age and coming from the local university.
Ambleside now look forward to the Galava Shield at home on Saturday April 25 and the Touch Rugby Comp on Saturday May 9.
