Dean Adamson is now just one try behind the all-time try scorer at Bedford Blues after another hat trick at Goldington Road helped Bedford Blues to a resounding 53-12 victory against Hartpury on Saturday afternoon.
Joey Conway was also at the double alongside tries for Seán French, Jordan Onojaife and captain Alex Day as eight-try Blues showed their fluent attacking best to secure back-to-back wins in the Championship.
In the end, it was a convincing success for Mike Rayer’s men, and after a perfectly observed silence on Remembrance Day, it was Hartpury who started the better as they raced into an early 12-0 lead.
Robbie Smith started at a mile a minute and it was his break in midfield that led to the first try, but while he was held up just short of the try line, he was able to pass to his scrum half, Mike Austin who gave the visitors an early 5-0 lead.
Harry Bazalgette’s penalty from distance shortly after drifted just wide on ten minutes but moments later, the try count was doubled as Tommy Mathews ran in from the half way line and with Bazalgette nailing the kick this time, Hartpury were in double digits.
Adamson takes over
It hasn’t been the first slow start from the Blues this season; thoughts go back to the first competitive game at Goldington Road against Caldy this season, but they were soon kicked into gear thanks to one rapid man in blue.
Dean Adamson broke clear with just one defender in sight and the winger would pass inside to his captain, Alex Day who cruised over the try line to reduce the deficit to seven points.
On the half hour mark, the scores were level as Seán French scored his seventh try of the campaign before the Dean Adamson show took centre stage.
The Bedford stalwart’s first of three tries gave the Blues a lead they would never surrender and with Louis Grimoldby nailing the conversion along with a further penalty, Bedford led 22-12 at the interval.
The bonus point was secured five minutes into the second half as Jordan Onojaife crashed over for his first try of the campaign and when Dean Adamson completed a wonderful, flowing team move from one side of the field to the other, the writing was on the wall for the visitors.
Joey Conway, who has been in very good try scoring form already this season, got in on the act after an hour before Dean Adamson secured another Goldington Road hat trick with a little under ten minutes to go.
The pacey winger now has 120 tries in Bedford Blues colours – just one behind record try scorer Ben Whetstone – and it was the icing on the cake for another dominant performance on the left wing.
He didn’t have the final song however as Conway doubled his own try count with the final play of the game, and with Maisey booting over the conversion, Bedford Blues left the field with the cheers of a delighted Goldington Road crowd and a 53-12 victory.
Recovery ends in result
The slow starts in the first ten minutes may be one note of concern for Mike Rayer and his coaching team, but the clinical nature of the next seventy showed the plethora of attacking flair that Bedford Blues possess.
Adamson was of course on his best finishing form, but the whole squad contributed to a resounding victory and with Jamie Elliott returning as a substitute after a six-month layoff, the positives far outweigh the negatives at Goldington Road.
The rest of the Championship played this round of fixtures last weekend, and there was also a second victory in the league for Ampthill who posted an impressive 34-24 victory against Coventry.
Ealing Trailfinders continue their impressive start with a big 64-7 win over league new boys, Cambridge while there were also successes for Doncaster Knights against Nottingham and Caldy against London Scottish.
Today’s fantastic performance leaves Bedford Blues in fifth but they once again face a fortnight’s wait before they step on to the field again as they welcome Cambridge to Goldington Road on 25th November.
