After two losses in two weeks, Bedford Athletic Rugby Club needed a win to reignite their league season and despite chronic first team unavailability, they did just that with a comeback win at Sidcup on Saturday.
With nine first team regulars on the sidelines, the challenge went up a notch in the Regional One South East division but Bedford Ath staged a second half resurgence to claim their first away win of the season.
A 14-3 half-time lead for the hosts looked to be giving them a shock win, with converted tries from Akpesiri Erhawah and Luka Syplywczak only punctuated by a single Bedford penalty in a first forty minutes dominated by Sidcup.
Ath surge back for first away win
As ever in rugby union, a team chasing the game can often find themselves with momentum and it proved to be just the case on Saturday as the Ath scored twenty-six points to steal the game.
Erran Singh-Soomal crashed over two minutes into the second half to reduce the gap to four points before Leo Mortimer’s penalty moments later put Bedford within touching distance.
From the restart, Archie Duncan was to give Bedford the lead as he darted on to Stephen Woodhead’s cute grubber kick to touch down under the posts and in the blink of an eye, the game had turned.
From there, both sides traded penalty kicks but Bedford’s lead increased as the hosts kept giving up kickable penalty chances, with Mortimer’s boot proving to be the difference.
Colby McMahon’s late try for Sidcup did threaten to spoil the Bedford party but the visitors held on for a vital 29-24 victory after defeats in previous weeks to Westcombe and CS Stags.
Sharnbrook coast to friendly win in Northamptonshire
Sharnbrook and Colworth had a week off from league action in East Midlands 2A but they did travel to Wellingborough Old Grammarians in a friendly fixture and put on a clinical display in a 61-24 victory.
Despite going 14-0 ahead with two early tries, Wellingborough then capitulated when Sharnbrook eventually woke up from ten minutes onwards.
Tries from David Spencer, Daniel Hicks and a brace for eventual man-of-the-match, Chris Compton put Sharnbrook ahead although Wellingborough did hit back to stay in the contest at half-time.
The second half proved to be all Sharnbrook though; Isaac Clarke, Max McGrellis and two for Kieran Bonas among a host or try scorers for the visitors who went home with a resounding win.
Sharnbrook and Colworth have a free week next week before their annual Remembrance Day game on 12th November, where a Remembrance Day Parade will take place from 2pm followed by their game.
Queens squeeze past Biggleswade
Meanwhile in the East Midlands South division, Bedford Queens hosted Biggleswade at Putnoe Woods and managed to steal a 20-18 victory.
Tries from Ryley Longmuir, Chris Mann and Will Skingsley were enough for the Queens while Jack Peachey proved to be the difference with a highly skilful kicking display.
It was forward Alex Wright who picked up the man-of-the-match award however as a great defensive display paid dividends with a narrow victory, ahead of a tough ask against league leaders Daventry next weekend.
