Battling Bedford Athletic fall just short in fightback at Shelford

In the RFU Championship, Bedford Blues' trip to Caldy was postponed and this Saturday are at home to Nottingham while Ampthill host Caldy.

In Bedford Athletic's proverbial game of two halves the visitors turned around a 34-0 deficit to run the home side close in the second half although they could not fashion a winning score in the closing stages.

They woke up before half-time with a try touched down by Lewis Sharp and converted by Leo Mortimer to put the side on the scoreboard, trailing 34-7 at half time.

The change at the start of the second half could not have been more marked and within six minutes Bedford were back in the game.

First Oli Petrides touched down for the try and minutes later Mortimer made a rare dash for the line, his conversion of his own try bringing up his 1,000th point for the first XV in his 100th game for the side.

Shelford kicked three points through the boot of Lewis Cracknell but this proved to be their only points of the second half as Athletic stormed back into the game, led largely by the back row trio of Jacob Wells, Jake Foster and Casey George.

It was Foster who crossed for the bonus point try on 55 minutes and the increasing ascendancy of the visiting pack was emphasized with a try to hooker Charlie Darlow on 65 minutes, both converted by Mortimer.

There was enough time left for further chances to win the match to come and go and the fightback showed what Bedford Athletic are capable of in this league if they maintain a consistent level of performance.

But with half of the season now played, Bedford are still closer to the bottom of the table than the top, making home wins vital, the next opportunity coming against Letchworth this Saturday (3pm).