Bedford Blues put up a brave performance at their bogey ground of Castle Park, but could not pull off a victory as Doncaster Knights scored maximum points in an entertaining 41-32 victory in the Championship on Saturday.
The Blues were not aided by a red card for winger, Alfie Garside in the early moments of the second half, but do pick up a bonus point for scoring five tries in what was a brave effort at a ground they have had scarce luck at for over a decade.
It’s becoming a fairly well known statistic that Bedford Blues have not won at the home of the Knights since November 2012, but there were multiple moments where they thought they could break the duck on a sunny Yorkshire afternoon.
A fairly uneventful first ten minutes was ignited by Garside, who deservedly saw yellow for a high tackle, and while Russell Bennett scored the game’s opening points from the resulting penalty, it would be Bedford who struck first on the try count.
It came from the athleticism of Michael Le Bourgeois who stretched over in the corner to give the Blues a lead merely a couple of minutes after going down to fourteen men.
They doubled that try count before Garside had returned to restore a full compliment; James Fish getting the final touch at the bottom of an almighty maul to put Mike Rayer’s men into the ascendency.
Ben Murphy’s excellent chip helped Doncaster narrow the deficit; collecting his own kick before poking the ball on to Logovi’i Mulipola who scored the Knights’ first try before Arthur Green put the home side in front with their second.
Alex Dolly converted both scores before George Wacokecoke suffered the same fate as Garside, seeing yellow for a high tackle of his own as Will Maisey levelled the scores at 15-15 with the resulting penalty.
The Blues – with numerical advantage – went in search of a half-time lead and it duly came via the hands of Fred Tuilagi with the first of his two tries of the afternoon, converted again by Maisey.
They would have led 22-15 at half-time, but for a major error from Louis James, who dropped a relatively simple high kick that allowed Jordan Olowofela a free pass to run in, although with the missed conversion, Bedford still led 22-20 at the break.
Red card puts Blues on back foot
Doncaster began the second half as they had finished the first, with Olowofela held up on the try line before the encounter’s key moment struck.
Alfie Garside was sent off as the winger deliberately knocked on a pass out wide, and after his high tackle in the first half, saw red, leaving Bedford Blues on a permanent fourteen men.
It didn’t take long for Doncaster to take advantage; Wacokecoke’s chip over the top was ran on to by Bennett who duly touched down under the posts.
Bedford struck back to level thanks to a try for Matt Worley – his third in two games – before they took a shock lead as Tuilagi raced clear to score a brace of tries, giving Bedford a 32-27 lead to defend with twenty minutes remaining.
The Blues held on for half of that time, but they would not score again.
Bennett ran in under the posts again to restore parity with 70 minutes on the clock before Obi Ene quickly gave the hosts an unassailable lead on 73 minutes as a brave Blues effort ran out of steam.
The final 41-32 scoreline was befitting of a hugely entertaining afternoon of Championship rugby but ultimately, Bedford Blues have now lost two of their three league games since the resumption.
They do take a bonus point for scoring five enterprising tries, but drop to third after Coventry eventually disposed of Caldy, although fourth-placed Hartpury could not take advantage of Bedford’s slip up, drawing 17-17 against Chinnor.
London Scottish pulled off the shock result of the weekend, beating Nottingham 33-28 on Friday night, while Ealing continued their stroll to another title after beating Ampthill 53-17.
Cornish Pirates host Cambridge at the Mennaye on Sunday.
Home form remains imperative for the Blues, and they’re back at Goldington Road to host Nottingham next Saturday (12 April), before facing Ealing, who look well set to take a third Championship title in four years.
This article was updated at 17:50 on Saturday 5 April to incorporate the late results from Ampthill vs Ealing and Caldy vs Coventry.
