A comfortable afternoon for Bedford Athletic saw them brush visitors Oadby Wyggestonians aside 78-7 on Saturday afternoon (7 March).
As has so often been the case in Regional Two Midlands East this season, the home team dealt capably with a side from the lower half of the table, with the result never in doubt.
The opening score arrived as early as the second minute, with full back Louis Haley crossing the line for the opening try and fly half Leo Mortimer converting for a 7-0 lead.
Although a first try of the day for right wing Jack Darlow soon followed, the opening twenty minutes proved to be the most competitive period of the match, drawing to a close with the home side’s lead at just 12-0.
The second twenty minutes through to half time were a different story.
On 22 minutes, full back Haley was on hand to score his second try of the day and once this score was registered, the away team’s confidence began to fail.
Darlow capitalised with his second try three minutes later, and before half time the forwards were also to get in on the act with a forward drive ending with a try to flanker Rob Watkins.
The second two tries were both converted by Mortimer, before Oadby did register a score before half time; openside flanker Charlie Warne crossing for the try, converted by fly half Henry Cooke, but that was to be the limit of their contribution.
Bedford Athletic led 31-7 at half time.
The second half was already a foregone conclusion, and quickly became more about milestones achieved rather than the match itself.
Tom Bailey opened the scoring in the fourth minute of the second half, registering his third try in four matches this season. Mortimer converted.
Four minutes later, it was a more significant milestone as Josh Cassell crossed for the seventh try of the day, but more significantly his 150th try in 204 appearances for the first team, with Mortimer again converting.
Having never scored in 15 previous appearances for the side, Jack Darlow completed his hat trick on 52 minutes, with Mortimer adding the conversion to stretch the score to a 52-7 lead.
The forwards continued to contribute as well, and it was prop Ryan Taylor who was next on the scoresheet on the hour mark, the conversion from Leo Mortimer bringing up the 19,000 points mark in the league for the first team.
Not to be associated solely with kicking, he then added a try two minutes later to take the score to 64-7.
With 15 minutes left to play, scrum half Tom Orton marked a man of the match performance with a try that Mortimer also converted.
It was his first man of the match award in 269 appearances for the first team, coming one day shy of his 40th birthday.
There was little momentum left in the match at this point, and it meandered for the final quarter of an hour before Rob Watkins closed proceedings with his second try; Mortimer’s conversion taking his points haul for the day to 23.
The win combined with Stamford’s defeat at home to Market Harborough sees the team qualify for the end of season play-offs.
Still in fourth place trailing Broadstreet by five points, the objective now is to see if the team can claim third place and a home play off match, starting in two weeks’ time away to Olney; the same day that Broadstreet take on league leaders Market Harborough.
Words by Jeremy Tyrrell
