Dean Adamson’s double was two of five tries for Bedford Blues as Mike Rayer’s side secured their fourth win from five Championship fixtures with a 34-18 victory against Doncaster Knights on Ladies Day at Goldington Road.
Alfie Garside, Matt Worley and replacement, Craig Wright were also in the try scoring column as the Blues battled to another victory to keep up their excellent Championship start.
After an explosion of pink welcomed the sides on to the field in aid of Ladies Day at Goldington Road, a serene start came to life as Bedford’s first attack of the game brought the first try.
Alex Day span it to Maisey and a long, looping pass out to the right wing left Alfie Garside with the simplest of finishes in the far corner to score his first try for Bedford, and thanks to an excellent conversion from Maisey, the Blues led 7-0.
The Knights’ first forays forward were met with handling errors, and Mike Rayer’s charges made them pay with a scintillating start that saw them double their try count after quarter of an hour.
Dean Adamson finished the try with his customary full length dive, but it was created thanks to a moment of magic from Jac Arthur; his cute kick bouncing perfectly into the arms of Adamson to score his latest try in Blues colours.
The only negatives from the first twenty minutes from a Blues perspective were apparent injuries to Louis James and Michael Le Bourgeois, replaced by Matt Worley and Saints loanee, George Makepeace-Cubitt respectively.
On the pitch, Bedford continued to press and they were only denied a third try by a stubborn Doncaster pack before the visitors were able to get on the scoreboard as Morgan Strong spotted a gaping hole in the Bedford defence and strolled straight through it.
The Blues had an immediate opportunity to hit back thanks to a turnover deep in Doncaster territory, but Tuilagi dropped the ball at an inopportune moment as half-time approached.
A Maisey penalty increased the Bedford advantage but Russell Bennett responded in kind as Bedford took a 15-10 lead into the changing rooms.
It’s a kind of magic
Doncaster Knights began the second half on the front foot and were rewarded with a further penalty that Bennett knocked over to reduce the deficit to two points and it looked as if yet another close encounter would be on the cards.
The visitors continued in the ascendency until the 56th minute, as Doncaster played their way across the back line, Matt Worley stole in for what was an incredibly simple interception and he ran in the easiest of tries to extend the Bedford lead to 22-13.
When Bennett booted the kick off out on the full, it gave the Blues a further opportunity to gain the bonus point, but despite Lucas Titherington getting an inch away, Doncaster held firm.
However, they couldn’t keep the Blues out for long; a cross-field kick from Will Maisey was collected with great skill in front of the scoreboard from Dean Adamson to gain the bonus point, and when Maisey converted, the Blues led 29-13.
With the clock ticking into the final ten minutes, the visitors were able to stay in the game as Morgan Strong palmed aside Alex Day to walk in his second try of the afternoon, but Alex Dolly’s missed conversion left the deficit at eleven points.
Doncaster kept pressing forward in search of a grandstand finish, but a massive tackle from Fred Tuilagi, and the subsequent winning of a penalty in their own 22, ended any hopes of a comeback.
The win was secured with the final play of the game, and Bedford’s fifth try, as Craig Wright bundled over to seal a 34-18 win that leaves Bedford Blues with four wins from their first five Championship fixtures.
Ealing smash Ampthill but Coventry still top
Coventry were moments away from losing their 100% record but a last-minute penalty meant they escaped Merseyside with a 17-15 win at bottom club, Caldy.
Ealing had no such trouble, recording a record 92-0 victory against a shellshocked Ampthill side in West London, with Bedford Blues remaining in third spot in the Championship table.
Cambridge gained their biggest scalp of the season, claiming a 29-22 victory against a struggling Cornish Pirates while Hartpury beat Chinnor 34-19.
Nottingham eased past London Scottish on Friday night to settle in fifth place as the Championship takes a break to accommodate a revamped Premiership Cup that begins in a fortnight’s time.
Bedford Blues travel to Premiership side, Bristol Bears looking for an upset on 2 November before hosting Ampthill the following Friday, with this block of Premiership Cup fixtures ending with one of the toughest possible assignments at Bath.
For now, Mike Rayer and company can enjoy a stellar start to the Championship season, with their third bonus point victory of the campaign giving Bedford Blues an excellent foundation for the rest of the year.
