Bedford Athletic were well beaten away to Northampton Old Scouts by 37-15 on Saturday (28 February).
Once again, the Bedford team found the challenge of a top three side too great to handle as they were outplayed throughout the contest, going down by four tries to two.
The opening exchanges saw some Bedford Athletic pressure, with fly half Leo Mortimer grubber kicking the ball into the home 22 and from the lineout the visitors won a penalty which Mortimer converted on seven minutes.
Immediately, Old Scouts responded with a penalty of their own, kicked by scrum half Will Brennan to level the scores at 3-3.
The next Bedford Athletic kick was not so good, as a cross field effort from full back, Louis Haley landed in the arms of the home side’s left winger and he beat his man and made ground, before a clever kick ahead ended with fly half Tom Holliday scoring the game’s first try.
Brennan converted for the lead.
Brennan added a further penalty, and the opening 20 minutes had seen Old Scouts dominate, deploying an intelligent kicking game to secure territory and thereafter pressurising the visitors into mistakes.
Holliday was sin binned for a high tackle on 21 minutes, and the extra man allowed Bedford Athletic to advance up the pitch.
Having secured an attacking lineout, it was second row Erran Singh-Soomal who got his hands through the tackle and set up Rob Watkins for a charge to the line for a try converted by Mortimer.
The rest of the half was fought out mainly in the visitors’ half with the hosts showing much greater intent and purpose in attack, running hard lines and coming onto the ball at pace; a tactic that Bedford Athletic did well to defend for the remainder of the opening half.
Despite incessant pressure, Northampton Old Scouts only had a further penalty to show for it which Brennan kicked on 32 minutes for a 16-10 half time lead.
That defence was tested soon again in the second half, and the intent and purpose of the home team now paid dividends with a further try.
Again, it came from line breaks which Athletic failed to close down, and having broken several tackles it was replacement flanker Phil Hone who marched untouched under the posts for the Old Scouts’ second try.
There was brief resistance from the visitors.
A powerful Andy Ince surge disrupted a ruck, replacement prop Lewis Ager intercepted a pass and once the away team advanced on the front foot, they were able to quickly transfer the play from in front of the Old Scouts’ posts to the left wing where winger Josh Cassell scored.
23-15 was as close as Bedford Athletic were to get to their opponents, and with just half an hour left Old Scouts once again powered through the visiting defence.
This time it was winger Noah Jervis who used his pace to leave defenders in his wake; the final two tacklers missing out completely for a converted try that made the score 30-15 with half an hour to play.
As the match wore on, Bedford Athletic started to control possession better, but not to the point where they were able to fashion any scoring chances.
Instead, it was Old Scouts who had the final score of the day, this time as a result of visiting ill-discipline.
A penalty kick to a line out and a maul over the line was touched down by home hooker Alex Finney. Brennan’s conversion made it 37-15.
Bedford Athletic continued to launch attacks, but with little effect and when they did eventually reach the Old Scouts’ line they were turned over as they ran out of support players and succumbed to the greater desire and urgency of the home defence.
The result leaves Bedford Athletic trailing the top three sides, against whom they have lost five of six matches, with a five point gap between them in fourth and Broadstreet in third.
The campaign continues at home to Oadby Wyggestonian this Saturday with a 3pm kick off at Putnoe Woods as the side continues to seek a top five finish and a play off place even if a home play off that would be earned if the side finished second or third now looks to be beyond them.
Words by Jeremy Tyrrell
