Bedford Athletic returned to winning ways at home with a 36-28 victory over Northampton Old Scouts on Saturday (8 November) at Putnoe Woods.
The visitors arrived as league leaders but were blown away by a strong first half performance that saw the home side lead 36-14 at half time.
Bedford Athletic are gradually seeing players return to the side following their recent injury crisis, but it was one of those who has taken advantage of the absence of others that opened the scoring in the first minute, with prop forward Elijah Oladeji going over for the try.
Returning to his former club, the occasion proved too much for Matt Meek of Northampton Old Scouts as he saw a red card as early as the fourth minute for a high tackle, with no mitigating factors, leaving his team to play with 14 men for the remainder of the game.
Unfortunately for the visitors, they ran into their hosts delivering possibly the best half of rugby they have played this season.
Bedford Athletic scored again in the eighth minute through the power of hooker Charlie Darlow, before Old Scouts got on the board a minute later through winger Joe Fitzgerald; the conversion from scrum half William Brennan momentarily narrowing the gap to 10-7.
Bedford Athletic were combining the power of the forwards and the pace of the backs to good effect, and they had the try bonus point wrapped up by the 20th minute.
Second row Erran Singh-Soomal scored the third try in the 12th minute, and speedy winger Luke Denham added the fourth in the 19th minute with fly half Louis Haley converting one of the scores.
The all round effort of the side was typified by captain Steve Smith, restored to a very effective partnership in midfield with Nathan Litchfield.
Smith was on the scoreboard in the 26th minute; the try converted this time by debutant full back Charlie Reed, returning to the club he played colts rugby for, following a National League career with the likes of Macclesfield and Bishops Stortford.
Northampton Old Scouts did pull a try back before half time through second row James Barrett, again converted by Brennan, but the last action of the first half saw prolific try scoring winger, Josh Cassell cross for the score, again converted by Reed for the 36-14 half time lead.
Bedford Athletic were not able to maintain this degree of momentum in the second half, as injuries and a degree of tiredness began to take effect.
Old Scouts scored a third try in the 55th minute through full back Alex Garbett; Brennan maintaining his perfect kicking record and thereafter play became very disjointed without the fluency and accuracy of the first half effort.
As the game progressed, so the discipline of the home side deteriorated and this was evidenced by two yellow cards in the final ten minutes for Charlie Darlow and Elijah Oladeji.
This did allow Northampton Old Scouts the opportunity to score a final and bonus point try through Garbett, again converted by Brennan, therefore maintaining the unwanted record for the home side of conceding a try scoring bonus point in every match they have played this season.
Victory over the league leaders changes the dynamics at the top of the table as the league starts to take shape.
Market Harborough now move into first place, two points ahead of Bedford Athletic who are now ahead of Old Scouts by one point.
These three have opened up a gap from the remaining sides as Bedford Athletic next travel to sixth place Oadby Wyggestonians in two weeks’ time.
Words by Jeremy Tyrrell
