Bedford Athletic finished the calendar year with a 31-22 win at home to Peterborough in Regional Two Midlands East.
They had to do it the hard way, coming back from a 22-12 half time deficit with an improved second half performance to triumph.
Early pressure came from Peterborough, and the home side only relieved this thanks to a mazy run from Luke Denham which carried play deep into the visitors’ half.
This led to a penalty in front of the posts, but the home side opted for a scrum and this eventually amounted to nothing, as back rows Andy Ince and Jake Foster were unable to link up.
Play was proceeding at a break neck pace, flowing from end to end without any clear cut scoring chances being created.
Although fly half, Louis Haley bailed his side out with a turnover under the posts, this style of play was gradually suiting Peterborough, and it was they who scored first when scrum half, Tom Kemp sniped through a ruck to score by the posts, fly half Liam Shields converting.
Bedford Athletic had a quick if somewhat fortunate response.
A deep clearing kick was knocked back over his own line by Peterborough full back, Tshepo Mooki leading to a five metre scrum for the home side. Number eight, Andy Ince powered over for an equalizing try, converted by Haley on 25 minutes.
It was Peterborough who then responded much the better with greater cohesion, composure and threat across the park. Mooki soon made amends for his error with a try in the corner for a visiting side that ran quicker, hit harder and reacted better throughout the first half.
A visiting lineout in their own half led to a Peterborough try, as replacement back Nick Langton carried the ball deep into home territory wrong footing the defence and breaking multiple tackles for a third score.
Bedford Athletic disrupted the flow with an intercept try for Haley on 37 minutes, but from the kick off, Peterborough regained possession and moved the ball with pace and power to score their bonus point try through flanker Luke Swindells.
At the end of a half, in which they had dominated proceedings, Peterborough held a deserved 22-12 lead.
Bedford Athletic came out in the second half with a much improved focus and better execution and control.
They hauled themselves back into the game on 47 minutes when, from broken play, full back Tana Stenson spotted the gap and sped away for the side’s third try; Haley’s conversion making the score 19-22.
Bedford Athletic continued to put the pressure on, as the penalty count turned against Peterborough, and the home side started to dominate the set piece.
There were still errors though. Another penalty in front of the posts was spurned for a scrum which led to nothing and Andy Ince was held up over the line.
Patience finally paid off when after a series of forward drives, fly half Haley placed a cross field kick into the hands of home winger Weerawardhana, and then followed up his own kick at the ruck to dive over and score on 66 minutes.
A two-point lead was not enough to keep Peterborough at bay, despite the much improved second half performance but when the visitors’ attacking chances came, a crucial lineout steal from captain, Rob Watkins turned the tide against them.
Eventually, it was Bedford Athletic who finished the game the stronger and in the closing moments, although the initial chance from a turned over scrum resulted in the ball being lost in contact.
A second bite at the opportunity paid dividends, as second row Erran Singh-Soomal smashed over from close range for the fifth try. Haley capped off a man of the match performance with the conversion from the final kick of the day.
Bedford Athletic remain in second place going into the Christmas break, three points behind leaders Market Harborough and nine points clear of those sides in third and fourth place, before their first game in the New Year away to Kettering on Saturday, 10 January.
Words by Jeremy Tyrrell
