Bedford Blues finished an impressive Championship season in dogged fashion on Saturday as a final minute Will Maisey penalty stole a 29-26 victory against Caldy after seeing Dean Adamson red carded mid way through the second half.
Adamson was dismissed on the hour mark after a dangerous tackle on Lewis Barker with the Blues 26-21 ahead, but another stoic defensive performance kept Caldy at bay, before Maisey’s left boot stole the win with the final play of the game.
Having scored 52 tries in their last six games, Bedford Blues have been in dazzling attacking form, and when they secured their bonus point by half-time, many may have expected them to soar clear against second bottom side, Caldy.
It was already the Blues’ best Championship campaign since 2011-12 before the first kick of the ball, but with a number of Bedford players moving on next season, Mike Rayer will have wanted his side to finish this one off with a bang.
The try-scoring service resumed after just three minutes as Jamie Jack bundled over off the back of a rolling maul, but Caldy hit back almost immediately as Michael Barlow spotted a gap to run in a leveller.
Caldy were ahead by the 18th minute as Connor Wilkinson reached for the whitewash on his 50th appearance for the home side, but three first-half tries would put Bedford in the ascendency come the half-time whistle.
Luke Frost, one of nine players to be leaving the Blues, scored Bedford’s second thanks to more good work from the maul before James Lennon finished off a smart play that involved both Adamson and the in-form, Louis James to pull the Blues back in front.
James was the man to score the bonus point try himself on the stroke of the interval – his sixth try in four games – as the Blues established a relatively comfortable 26-14 half-time lead.
Red card puts Blues under pressure
Caldy, who were bottom of the division for the first half of this season, were not going to let Bedford Blues escape like they had done in previous weeks, and when Wilkinson crashed over his second try of the afternoon, the Ravers were back within five points.
The home side were soon down to 14 men themselves as Nathan Rushton’s high hit on James earned him a sin-binning, but it was another bad tackle that would change the complexion of the game just ten minutes later.
Adamson’s tackle on Barker left the fly-half landing on his head, and while Adamson too was initially sin-binned, the yellow was soon upgraded to a red, leaving the Blues a man down for the remainder.
There have been many occasions within these busy eight months where the Blues have needed to find defensive resilience; many of their wins coming off the back of an heroic defensive effort, and when Caldy began to bombard them, it looked as if one final barricade was needed.
The Blues held on for 12 minutes, but were unable to keep the home side out forever and when Will Robinson found himself as the spare man out wide, the scores were level at 26-26.
Crucially, the tough conversion was missed and when Caldy threw the ball into touch on their own 22, the Blues sensed a small gap in the door that had remained firmly shut for the majority of the second half.
They were unable to make the most of that opportunity, but good work from Michael Le Bourgeois with just a minute remaining gave Bedford territory again, eventually resulting in an 80th minute penalty.
Will Maisey was the hero; his reliable left boot pummelling over the penalty to steal a 29-26 victory for a 17th win in 22 Championship fixtures for the Blues and a final points tally of 86 points; ten clear of third-placed, Doncaster Knights.
Points galore on final day
It was also the Blues’ seventh consecutive maximum points victory, with only Hartpury and Doncaster beating Mike Rayer’s side since the turn of the year.
The Championship – to be re-named ‘Champ Rugby’ from next season – is all change for 2025/26 and had this final standing followed the rules of next season, the Blues would have found themselves with a home play-off semi-final to prepare for.
As it is, they can enjoy a highly deserved second place finish, secured in true Blues fashion, scoring 812 points across 22 games behind champions, Ealing who finished on 99 league points after they dispatched Hartpury 45-12 on the final day.
Doncaster Knights beat Ampthill 29-19 while Cornish Pirates finish fourth after squeezing past Nottingham, 35-34. Coventry finish fifth after beating London Scottish 50-31.
Chinnor finished their debut season in stunning fashion, scoring twelve tries in a storming 82-34 win against the league’s basement side, Cambridge who will be one of 14 second-tier sides next season.
