Park succumbed to both the elements and a very well-drilled Ampthill side on Saturday, struggling to deal with the strong winds and a combative home pack in a 21-7 defeat.

Playing with the gale force wind and down a distinctly sloping pitch in the first half, Park couldn’t make the advantage count and that was to prove, ultimately, fatal.

The home pack’s appetite for work was simply insatiable and led by the ever-young Aleki Lutui, their control and discipline in their own third was excellent.

It was clear they knew how to handle the conditions better than their visitors and they scored an excellent try deep into the half to expose Park’s shortcomings still further.

Joe Tarrant’s cute dink in behind the Park midfield was gobbled up Karim Lynch – a constant threat with ball in hand all afternoon – and he dotted to take Paul Turner’s men into the break 5-0 ahead.

To their credit, the men from the Rock opened up a little more in the second period, Harry Elrington making an impact off the bench and Hugo Ellis making yards every time he got the ball.
However, two Elliot Clements-Hill penalties extended the Ampthill lead still further and when Lynch added a second after a kind bounce from a 22m re-start, the game was well and truly out of reach for Mike Macfarlane’s men.

After losing James Fish to the sin-bin late on, last year’s National Two South play-off winners would have been disappointed to concede a score in the final play of the game, Stephen Hihetah breaking through several tackles to register a fine individual effort.

James Buckland and his staff will have plenty to do this week, ahead of a home encounter against Coventry. The men from the Butts Park Arena, along with Park, were tipped as many pundits promotion favourites, but both find themselves languishing in mid-table in an increasingly competitive National One.

Having recruited current Cambridge director of rugby Rowland Winter for next season, Coventry are already making plans for a serious assault on silverware in the 2016-17 campaign and many of their current squad will be playing for their places under Winter.

For Park, there remain more questions than answers but with the pressure well and truly off, Buckland and assistant Andy Holloway also have the opportunity to start thinking ahead to September – beginning at the Rock on Saturday.

Kick-off this weekend is at 3pm.

Mo Sher (@MSSher1)

February 8, 2016