Amphil came from behind to beat Richmond 42-40 in the opening round of the Green King IPA Championship on Saturday. The match finished with a narrow two-point margin after what looked set to be a straightforward home victory for Richmond. The result means the visitors pick up their first points of the campaign while the hosts start without a win.
Richmond had built momentum through the first half, moving ahead 40-34 before Amphil rallied. The away side found extra time and pushed forward, scoring twice in quick succession to turn the game on its head. By then the crowd at Richmond was on its feet, watching the scoreboard flip. Amphil held on grimly in the final minutes to complete the comeback.
Both sides enter the season with minimal history in this fixture. Richmond's recent results show inconsistency, with heavy defeats alongside competitive performances. Amphil, meanwhile, have been scoring freely — a 75-33 win over Cambridge earlier in May suggests attacking intent. The contrast in form made this opener all the more unpredictable.
What matters now is the table position, not the points tally. Richmond sit tenth on zero games and zero points, while Amphil occupy fifth with one point already in the bank. The standings will shift quickly over the coming weeks. A fourth straight win or loss would change perceptions entirely.
