Joel Matavesi’s 78th-minute try secured another dramatic 35-32 win for Bedford Blues against a belligerent Hartpury side as Mike Rayer’s men bounced back from defeat in scintillating style on Saturday afternoon.
Hartpury had been ahead for the entire second half – and most of the first – but in what became another Goldington Road classic, Matavesi’s last-gasp effort secured the maximum five points for Bedford Blues in the Championship.
Both sides had a win and a loss to their names heading into this encounter, which historically brings a lot of points, and this clash ended up in the same vein.
Hartpury began the game well; Ollie Holiday should have scored the game’s opening try for the visitors in the first moments after dashing through a gap.
He was stopped, but Harry Short wasn’t, the back rower finding himself out wide to finish off a swift move that was converted by his ever-reliable name-sake, Harry Bazalgette.
Alex Forrester had a half chance to double the try count but couldn’t find a way through the Blues defence as the visitors started the game on the front foot and it took until the quarter hour mark for Bedford to make inroads.
Alex Day – who ended up having a terrific game – found Lucas Titherington to finish off a simple try to equalise. Still, it was only a few minutes before the Blues were behind again as Holiday eventually got his score.
The Blues equalised once more, Alex Day making a quick getaway from the breakdown to touch down but the score was only level for ten minutes before Jon-Benz Salomon restored Hartpury’s advantage.
Day hit back again with his second try of the half but the Gloucestershire men went into the sheds with the advantage as Robbie Smith gained Hartpury’s bonus point and a well-deserved 26-21 half-time lead.
Hartpury hearts broken
Bazalgette’s penalty only extended that lead in the opening throws of the second half and both sides would go nip and tuck until a dramatic last twenty minutes.
Joe Howard, voted last season’s player’s player of the season, reduced the gap to three points on the hour mark with a try and when Will Maisey converted, the deficit was just one.
Bazalgette’s second penalty kept the away side of the scoreboard moving in a positive direction but that would be the visitors’ final points of the game as Bedford hit back in front of a raucous Goldington Road crowd.
Hartpury had given themselves fifteen minutes to hold on, but they could only do so for thirteen as Bedford Blues struck late on.
Maisey’s excellent penalty found touch deep in visiting territory and what followed was trademark Blues as Matavesi began and ended a move that involved Day and Alfie Garside before finishing off with aplomb and giving Bedford the lead for the first time in the second half.
There was no time for Hartpury to respond and Bedford Blues came away with maximum points and a 35-32 win.
Coventry remain only unbeaten side
Coventry remain the Championship’s only unbeaten side, securing their third victory from three games with a 36-19 win at Cambridge, while Ealing lost out by a single point at home to Doncaster Knights, 36-35.
Elsewhere, there was more cheer for Chinnor; the league’s new boys are in second after defeating Caldy 31-17 and there was also a shock on Friday night as London Scottish beat Cornish Pirates 26-15 to rise to seventh after today’s games.
Nottingham beat Ampthill 38-14 in the division’s final encounter, also on Friday night, leaving Bedford Blues in sixth in what are still the early exchanges of another exciting Championship season.
Next up for the Blues is the longest away trip of the season as the Mennaye awaits and an always dangerous Cornish Pirates side. That game kicks off at 2.30pm on Saturday 12 October.
