Bedford Blues are once again back to third in Champ Rugby after an abject 14-10 loss to Nottingham at Goldington Road on Saturday (21 March).
In a game lacking quality, both sides traded first half tries, but it was James Cherry’s late try in the second that was the difference to conflict a sixth league defeat of the season on Bedford Blues.
The Blues started round 20 of the newly re-named Elior Champ Rugby in second place, three points ahead of Worcester Warriors in the race for a play-off semi final berth, while Nottingham’s very definition of mixed form left them in mid-table, although only one point off the top six.
In this fixture last season almost 12 months ago, Dean Adamson scored five of 13 tries as he equalled the all-time try scoring record at Goldington Road – a record he now holds outright – as the Blues demolished their opponents with a rampant display.
Read: Adamson scores five tries to equal record as Bedford Blues annihilate Nottingham
Nottingham will have been hoping for a scoreline closer to the 28-28 draw these two sides shared back in November, but they went one better than that, despite a start that could have haunted them.
Adamson gives Blues early lead
The clock had barely ticked past two minutes when Dean Adamson made his mark, as he brushed aside Evan Mitchell to collect Alex Day’s grubber kick to dot down the opening try of the game.
Michael Le Bourgeois, playing in the unfamiliar ten jersey, slotted the conversion to give the Blues an early 7-0 lead, but unlike last year’s encounter in which Bedford raced away inside 20 minutes, Nottingham hit back to level.
With 12 minutes on the clock, a smart pass inside by Michael Green found James Cherry, who raced through a gap in the Blues defence to restore parity, aided by the addition from Mitchell’s boot.
The Blues almost responded in kind, racing clear down the right wing, ending with George Worth’s despairing dive for the corner, only for a trailing leg to find the whitewash before he was able to score.
An early Bedford debut for Amena Caqusau, who replaced Billy Pasco inside the first quarter after the centre failed a head injury assessment, was perhaps the most notable part of a half that was dominated by spills forward and the referee’s whistle.
The only other real attack for either side came in the 33rd minute, as Alex Day’s excellent penalty gave Bedford some much-needed territory, but after a number of phases across the pitch, Nottingham were able to hold the Blues up, leaving the score at seven apiece at the break.
Cherry on the cake
The second half began in equally scrappy fashion, but it was Bedford’s forward line who would inject some vigour into proceedings, as Joey Conway broke clear, feeding Ilan Evans before a notch on to Craig Wright saw the Blues approach the posts.
Wright was brought down five metres short, but again it was spilled forward, allowing Nottingham to clear their lines, and they too had a chance to take the lead at the other end, only for Gwyn Parks’ final cross field kick to land just short of the onrushing Luke Rokomoce.
A big up and under from Le Bourgeois, collected by Lucas Titherington, allowed the outside centre to race clear soon after, but he too was dragged down near the posts, and Bedford once again lost possession, with the second half scoreboard yet to be troubled.
The Blues were beginning to gain the ascendency in the territory game with the hour mark approaching, but still the final touch eluded them; so much so that when Bedford were awarded their latest penalty, Le Bourgeois elected for the posts.
His penalty – with 20 minutes remaining – put the Blues 10-7 in front, but in similar fashion to the first half, Nottingham hit back immediately, and it was Cherry who finished an ugly if effective move from the line out for his second try of the game.
It gave Nottingham a slender four-point advantage, and with it came a rise in tensions across the majority of the almost 3,000 strong crowd at Goldington Road.
Mike Rayer’s side continued to press forward, playing in the right areas of the pitch, but still the final touches left a lot to be desired, and the Nottingham defence remained steadfast as the clock ticked down.
James Fish’s knock on, with 77 minutes on the clock, became the Blues’ final touch as Nottingham managed out the final moments of the clash, completing a famous 14-10 victory, as their hunt for the play-offs picked up momentum.
For the Blues, they drop to third once more, courtesy of Worcester Warriors’ big victory against bottom club, Cambridge, while Coventry are now hot on the heels of the Blues after their win against Doncaster.
Ealing maintained their own perfect record with a storming 72-17 win over London Scottish, while Cornish Pirates and Chinnor were also big victors over Richmond and Caldy respectively. Ampthill beat Hartpury on Friday night.
The Blues will hope to regain winning ways as they travel to Ellgia Fields next Saturday (28 March) to face Cambridge, with the likes of Worcester, Cornish Pirates and Ealing still to come in the intriguing conclusion to the Champ Rugby campaign.
