Premiership sides prevail​ in cup encounters

​Blues paid for being wasteful near the try line, as had they been more clinical when it mattered the scoreline could have been very different.

Three of the hosts’ tries came from breakaways as Blues struggled to regroup when the ball went to ground, the Sale half-back pairing of Nye Thomas and Tom Curtis running the show for Alex Sanderson’s men throughout with some impressive forward displays to add.

Blues kept going, even when the scoreline became by far and away out of their reach, and they were rewarded with two tries through James Lennon and Sean French.

Bedford now travel to face Newcastle Falcons on Friday night under the lights.

*Ampthill, meanwhile, themselves faced Falcons at Dillingham Park on Saturday where a strong second-half showing enabled the Premiership side to record a 40-17 win.

The Mob had opened the scoring early on as Charlie Bracken’s fizzing pass created an overlap, finished off by winger Josh Skelcey after delightful hands from hooker Syd Blackmore.

Newcastle struggled for any attacking momentum in the first 20 minutes, but after the scheduled drinks break, the Falcons struck almost immediately afterwards, with a flowing move finished off by Ben Stevenson in the 21st minute, following a brilliant offload by Elliot Obatoyinbo.

Just under ten minutes later, Newcastle academy product Freddie Lockwood bulldozed his way across the line, giving the Falcons a 12-7 half time lead.

They then went on to ease away to victory in the second-half despite a penalty from Gwyn Parks, then late on after an interception by full back Tom Bacon, he ran from inside his own 22, beating a last-ditch tap tackle to stroll over the try line in the 72nd minute.

Reflecting on the loss, Ampthill head coach Paul Turner said: ‘I’m disappointed with the final result, but I’m proud of the players.

“There were parts of the game where I felt we were right in the game against a Premiership outfit.”

Ampthill return to action on Saturday with a trip to Caldy.