Already relegated, Bedford Athletic finished their Regional One South East campaign with a 52-33 win at home to Southend, finishing the season on a high note outscoring their visitors by eight tries to five for their fifth win of the campaign.
Playing against the wind in the first half, Bedford Athletic began the match trying to run the ball out of their own half.
When this proved unproductive, they resorted to the box kick only for this to be charged down and visiting fly half Ben Lloyd collected the ball for the opening try which he himself converted on eight minutes.
Bedford Athletic were able to fashion a response with the break initiated by a strong run from Andy Ince, which preceded a couple of 5-metre attacking scrums on the visitors’ line.
From the second of these, flanker Josh Dunne broke clear for his side’s opening try which went unconverted.
Bedford Athletic took the lead in the 25th minute when scrum half Michael Trigg disrupted a visiting scrum, centre Dylan Edgington carried the ball forward and prop Ryley Longmuir was on hand to score the try this time converted by Trigg.
From the kick off, Bedford Athletic scored again when the ball was fed wide to Bradley McKenna who sped away from eighty metres out to score his 13th try of the season, with Trigg again converting.
Southend were still in the contest however, and when the home team spilled the ball trying to run out of defence, second row Blue Newton picked up and ran hard and straight and through the home defence for his side’s second try which was also converted.
Bedford Athletic closed out the scoring in the first half with their bonus point try.
The move was again initiated by a powerful run from Ince, and having established their position deep in the visiting 22, Bedford Athletic moved the ball wide for full back Stephen Woodhead to cross for the try in the left hand corner.
Bedford Athletic led 24-14 at half time.
Tries keep coming in second half
The home team’s achilles heel this campaign has been surrendering half time leads.
Initially, they started well in the second half with Josh Foster making a break and the ball finding its way to hooker Charlie Darlow who scored the fifth try which was converted for a 31-14 lead.
True to recent patterns, the home team then went through a mini meltdown, unable to cope as Southend upped the pace and intensity of the game, leading to tries for winger, Joe Nagy and Stuart Whatling.
From the next kick off, fly half Lloyd finished a move that cut through the entire home defence for a fifth score, converting two of these himself to give Southend a 33-31 lead on the hour mark.
Bedford Athletic responded by disrupting a Southend lineout; Josh Dunne carried the ball hard into the visiting defence and this time it was replacement prop Ryan Taylor who finished the try off, with Trigg converting for a 38-33 lead.
Southend struck back with an intense period of pressure built on a break the length of the field and several set plays close to the home side’s try line.
A magnificent covering tackle from Woodhead helped stem the tide, and eventually Southend were penalised in front of the posts.
The home team cleared the danger and from hereon were able to see out the match on the front foot.
This led to two late tries; first wing Josh Cassell broke through for a score and then with the kick off not having gone the required ten metres, the home side attacked again and Ryan Taylor found himself in space under the posts for the eighth and final try.
The win does not alter the fact that the side finish the league season at the foot of the table, nine points behind the side who finished one place above relegation, Amersham & Chiltern.
Across the course of two seasons, Bedford Athletic have won only a quarter of the games they have played.
Relegation therefore comes as no surprise and will allow the team to rebuild at a lower level.
The season finishes with the Bedfordshire Cup Final at home to Ampthill on the weekend after Easter.
Words by Jeremy Tyrrell
