Bedford Athletic lost their sixth straight game at home to Shelford, beaten 54-34 in a high scoring encounter at Putnoe Woods.
It was the seventh home loss of the season and the third consecutive match in which no bonus points have been gained, although Bedford Ath are safe from relegation.
Bedford Athletic started well and an early 50:22 kick from Will Dorasamy put pressure on their visitors.
Although the initial threat was snuffed out, a Shelford lineout was lost, and scrum half Tana Stenson nearly successfully chased his kick ahead for the opening try, the ball just beating him to the dead ball line.
From the clearance Bedford Athletic won a penalty, which fly half Dorasamy converted in the ninth minute.
Shelford secured the kick off and upped the pressure in the home half, with full back Michael Gillick brushing off three attempted tackles for the opening try which went unconverted.
In response, Bedford Athletic kicked another 50:22 through Stenson, who rapidly followed up with a quick throw which Lewis Sharp collected to dive over for a try converted by Dorasamy to retake the lead at 10-5 on 15 minutes.
Jake Foster was then sin binned for a high tackle and playing against 14 men, Shelford took full advantage.
A Stenson break was turned over due to a lack of support and a quick tap penalty saw the ball find its way to wing Louie Tang who sped away for Shelford’s second try converted by Kyle Harris.
Although Bedford Athletic responded with a Dorasamy penalty, further Shelford pressure saw them punch holes in the home defence and as the home side fell off tackles it was George Cracknell who powered over for another converted try, giving Shelford a 19-13 lead on 25 minutes.
Bedford Athletic kicked a penalty to touch within 5 metres of the visitors’ line and from a lineout drive, Stenson sniped off the side and over for a try on the half hour mark.
Shelford had plenty of possession in response and their lineout catch and drive maul got ominously close to the home line before they were penalised for going off their feet at a ruck.
Bedford Athletic survived and a scrum penalty just before half time gave them field position and then a high tackle from back row Luca Martinelli earned him a yellow card and Dorasamy a penalty kick at goal which gave Bedford Athletic a 21-19 half time lead.
The second half started with Gillick again shredding the home defence without a hand being laid on him for the Shelford bonus point try which Harris converted.
The home side strung a few phases together in response, but the attack ended when a grubber kick was collected by Tang who made 50 yards before a string of penalties saw Shelford arrive deep in the home 22.
Again, the home side were saved by Shelford going off feet at a ruck allowing them to clear. Slowly Bedford Athletic built pressure although a lack of accuracy stymied any penetration of the home defence.
Shelford’s Cracknell was sin binned for a high tackle and the home side kicked a penalty on the hour mark to narrow the gap to 26-24.
Four minutes later, a scrum penalty saw them take the lead but the visitors’ response was immediate as a quick tap penalty saw scrum half Charlie Baker race through the defence for a converted try.
Bedford Athletic found some space in response with Nathan Litchfield breaking down the left wing and overrunning the last defender to score in the 68th minute.
Dorasamy’s conversion made it 34-33.
Shelford again piled the pressure on the home side and they should have scored but knocked on with a clear overlap, but when the clearance kick was fielded by Tang, he set in motion a move that went 50 yards and resulted in Gillick’s hat trick try on 77 minutes.
The conversion made the score 40-33.
Chasing the game, the home side lacked accuracy as they tried to counter attack, dropping the ball and seeing lock Jacob Prier canter to the line for the seventh try. With tackling by now non existent, Cracknell ran through for the 8th try both converted by Harris.
Bedford Athletic conclude the league campaign away to Sudbury in a fortnight who are on a 14-game winning streak and may look to the Cup campaign which begins at home to Matson on 13th April for that elusive next home win.
Words by Jeremy Tyrrell
