Huddersfield were stopped in their tracks as promotion-chasing Ampthill dealt them a heavy 48-7 beating at Dillingham Park.

Field were unable to repeat their impressive feat of holding Ampthill to a draw at Lockwood Park earlier in the season as the home side made a strong statement.

It took just two minutes for Ampthill to get off the mark with Joseph Bercis scoring a solo effort which went unconverted.

Elliot Clements-Hill got the second just two minutes later after a good passing move, again going unconverted.

Bercis got his second shortly after for his 28th try of the season, with the conversion putting Ampthill 17-0 up after just 11 minutes.

The onslaught continued on 22 minutes with right winger Darrell Dyer scoring for a bonus point and fly half Joseph Tarrant converting to virtually end Huddersfield’s already slim hopes of a comeback.

The away side were by now pinned back in the own half and a fifth try came just after the half-hour mark with Paino Hehea scoring a converted try to make the score 31-0 at half-time.

Ampthill began the second half in the same fashion and took only five minutes to add to their lead, Joseph Spronston’s try going unconverted after sustained pressure.

Huddersfield finally began to get a foothold in the game after that and looked to create some pressure of their own.

However, Ampthill first added to their impressive lead through Dyer’s try on 56 minutes which came at the cost of him going off through injury. Tarrant converted.

Huddersfield eventually got on the scoreboard with 13 minutes to play, Austen Thompson scoring a converted try to make it 43-7.

Gareth Clarke made sure Ampthill had the last word, however.

Huddersfield: Hodson, Knight, Hodgson, Owen, Clarke, Hinchliffe, Jeffrey, Purcell, Morrill, Sanderson, Thompson, Wood, Malthouse, Thornton, Sharpe. Subs: Lewis, Bradley (L), Battye, Rawsthorne, Walker (H).

Ampthill – Tries: Bercis (2,10), Clements-Hill (4), Dyer (23, 56), Hehea (32), Sproston (45), Clarke (71). Conversions: Clements-Hill (11), Tarrant (24, 33, 57)

Huddersfield – Tries: Thompson (67). Conversion: Hodson (68).

Half time: Ampthill 31 Huddersfield 0.

Referee: Marcus Caton