BLUES: Fronting up after Exeter
Neil Roy reflects on the 19-16 weekend win over Cornish Pirates at Goldington Road
Never mind the quality. This was a proper toe to toe match in which the Blues fronted up after going walkabout last week. It was exciting, frustrating controversial and the final result was always in doubt.
It had just flashes of style; but plenty of substance. And the fans responded to the urgency of it all by getting right behind the team - even it seemed biting their lips when the aimless kicking competition got going.
This surely was the sort of game that will be coming up in the play-offs when the win is everything and the away bonus point is priceless.
It was a day for the mongrels in the pack rather than the purists on the terraces. And having been slammed for last week and slighted by the Pirates for having a soft under belly in the home fixture last season, it was vital for the Bedford forwards to put down a no-nonsense marker this time. And they did.
"We knew they were going to be tough up front – they always are," said prop Phil Boulton. "We were focussed all week on a facing a big set of forwards.
"But we matched them up front – even had the better of them with those penalties at the scrum. It was always going to be tight but we were confident we could do it down the slope in the second half."
The Pirates were not amused with the penalties against their front row and they made an early change at loose head to try to pacify the referee only for Boulton to enter the fray at the start of the second half to continue the pain.
But they were happy to accept a gift of a try when hooker Chris Locke threw long at one defensive line out and got away with it and then did exactly the same at the next one. His opposite number at the back of the line said thank you very much. Try. A terrific conversion and it was 7-3 after about ten minutes.
This wasn't the first time that this move had gone wrong - think Nottingham in October when it cost the game. Without Gregor Gillanders cleaning up the tail and no out-and-out line out ace in the pack at the time it's mighty risky. And it's clearly not just the hooker's problem.
Still Bedford stayed in touch and turned around 13-9 down courtesy of three James Pritchard penalties to that try, conversion and two penalties.
A betting man would have fancied that was close enough and early in the second half the Blues took the lead with a try in that same left hand corner just in front of the Former Players bar where the line out had gone wrong.
After good work from the terrier-like blindsider Ben Lewitt, winger Ian Davey sent the powerful Chris Goodman barging for the line.
The Pirates thought the number eight was short, flanker Sacha Harding signalled for a TV replay and after consulting the touch judge the referee awarded the try and sent the Pirates centre Paul Devlin to the sin bin for punching on the floor. Pritchards's touchline conversion was a beauty.
With 30 minutes still to go, the Pirates fly half Rob Cook landed his third penalty to make it 16-16. The Blues fluffed a gilt edged try chance and had others but they couldn't breach the defence and it took a fourth Pritchard penalty to seal it.
Blues: Walsh (Cecere 65), Locke (Richmond 52), Seal (Boulton 40), Rae, Tupai (Harlock 72), Lewitt, Harding, Goodman; Walshe, Davies (Sharp 65), Davey, Vass, Fielden, Pritchard.
Star Blue: Ben Lewitt
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Weather for Bedford
Tuesday 14 February 2012
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