Sudbury gained a convincing 86-31 win over Bedford Athletic on Saturday (22 March), confirming the Ath’s relegation from Regional One South East after a stay of three seasons, despite the recording of a try bonus point.
A year ago. Bedford Athletic visited Sudbury and conceded 14 tries in a 90-7 defeat. Shockingly, almost a year later they managed to repeat this performance, despite scoring five tries themselves on this occasion.
With nineteen tries scored in total, the scores came thick and fast throughout the afternoon.
Centre Austin Beckett opened the scoring for Sudbury in the second minute but two minutes later, Tana Stenson scored the first of the afternoon for the visitors, with fly half Will Dorasamy converting to make the score 7-7.
Winger, David Brennan nudged Sudbury ahead once again only for Cameron Brough to respond in kind, Dorasamy levelling the scores once again.
The next two tries went to the Sudbury wingers; Shaun Smith and Brennan again and on the half hour mark, Sudbury led 26-14.
Bradley McKenna responded for Bedford Athletic on 32 minutes to narrow the gap to 26-19, but this was as close as Bedford Athletic were going to get for the rest of the afternoon.
Sudbury scored twice again before half time, this time the tries going to centres Beckett and Jake Sumner and with six tries in the bag Sudbury led 38-19 at half time.
Ath implosion a metaphor of their season
The match was only going one way at the start of the second half; Jake Sumner completed his hat trick with tries in the 45th and 52nd minutes before one of the forwards finally scored on 65 minutes, as hooker Charlie Gardner burrowed his way over.
Two minutes later, scrum half Liam Leeson added to the tally and with 13 minutes remaining in the game, the home side were well on the way to a rout with a 60-19 lead.
A brief rally from the visitors then ensued with replacement prop, Elijah Oladeji and Josh Cassell scoring within a minute of each other; Dorasamy adding one conversion, but even at 60-31 the case was forlorn.
In any event, this just inspired Sudbury to accelerate away from their hapless visitors.
Gardner got his second, then David Brennan completed his hat trick and flanker Jake Thurlow added the 13th try with a minute left to play, but there was still time for Sudbury to equal the prior year’s performance with a try to fly half Sam Rust.
He added this to his eight conversions to finish with 21 points in the match.
Although at times the visiting side were competitive, there were too many individual mistakes, missed tackles and poor decisions at critical moments.
In truth, whilst a win away from home always looked a tough proposition no one really expected a repeat of last season’s humiliation.
The result means relegation is confirmed and that the team will finish bottom of the table. The conclusion of a disappointing campaign is at home to Southend in two weeks’ time at Putnoe Woods with a 3pm kick off.
Words by Jeremy Tyrrell
