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Match Report v Doncaster Knights
This was a scoreline that didn't go anywhere near to explain the determined performance from Bedford Blues as they somehow left Castle Park empty handed in a 27-19 defeat to Doncaster Knights.
It was a monumental performance from every player in blue on the Castle Park surface as Bedford imposed their presence on the game throughout and really took the game to their high-flying hosts.
The Followers Away Man of the Match award really could have gone to any of the players who gave it everything they had - and more - and Doncaster were flattered by a 19-12 scoreline in favour of the visitors at the break.
Led by their team of enforcers, Bedford controlled virtually all the play and could feel aggrieved to only have a slender advantage at the break.
Tom Litchfield's faultless work at the breakdown, Lewis Bean's dominating presence with ball in hand and Will Maisey's general-like organisation set the tone and Bedford went to work at catching their hosts out quickly and setting the pace from the word go.
The first 40 minutes were immense - one scrum early engagement and two lineout overthrows aside - and Blues were in and amongst the opposition 22 inside 60 seconds but the returning Oskar Hirskyj-Douglas couldn't quite get the pass away with Josh Gillespie awaiting on the right.
A nasty looking injury to Joe Wrafter on 10 minutes could have halted the Bedford progression but if anything, it only went to make them stronger as Emmanuel Iyogun carried on the good work of his counterpart to continue dominating the set piece play.
A succession of penalties in and around the tryline saw referee Jake Makepeace show Donny flanker Conor Joyce a yellow card and Bedford scored 14 unanswered points to drive home the ascendency.
On 11 minutes, Blues stuck with the plan under immense defensive work from the hosts and eventually bundled over from close range through Oli Robinson, leaving Will Maisey the simplest of conversions.
You could tell Doncaster were rattled and that only seemed to inspire Bedford who sensed the nervousness and continued to be the battering force up-front which gradually edged them up the field.
As the sin-bin clock wound down to zero, Bedford were able to get the second try of the contest. Following more rampaging work up-front, Connor Tupai and Maisey combined to send Robinson in a litle bit of space. His pass was perfect for Gillespie to cut inside his marker and dot down. 12-0 to the visitors.
When back to a full compliment, you could see why Doncaster were second in the table leading into the game but Bedford were still defiant against the awoken beast. Donny's first venture into the Blues half on 25 minutes resulted in nothing as Litchfield got over the ball and forced the penalty.
And even on the next entry, Bean got his hands in the driving maul and caused the collapse and knock-on.
Doncaster did finally make thier breakthrough on 32 minutes to get back into the game. Number 8 Guido Volpi made a big carry to set it up before Kyle Evans timed a pass to Billy McBryde for the full-back to score. Sam Olver converted for 7-12.
Back came Bedford and they found their third try through more menacing work upfront. Again it was the persistance to work with ball in hand that got through the Doncaster defence, working through the phases after the maul was halted for Ollie Newman to get his first for the club.
It was no more than the flanker deserved for what has been a spectacular season since arrival as part of the strategic partnership with Northampton Saints and hopefully the first of many.
Doncaster managed to get another try with time in the red but it did nothing to take the shine off what was a strong first half performance.
As expected, Doncaster tried to turn the screw in the second half as they knew they had no space for error in their hunt for the play-off finals at the end of the season. Immediately they came out with the intention Bedford showed in the first half and tried to regain the ascendency after finishing the first half with points.
What they maybe hadn't anticipated was a resilient and determined Bedford defensive system to be so dogged in and around their own try-line. In the opening minutes of the second half, they must have been through at least 20 phases within five metres but Bedford stood strong to eventually force the turnover.
This time it was Bedford struggling to get out of their own half although there was a neat burst out from midfield by Litchfield to get into the 22. Gillespie tried a chip and chase but it didn't materialise.
As the half progressed, the penalty count ticked up on Bedford and the pressure continued to be exerted around the try line. Doncaster did finally make their dominance count and went over through the hooker Will Holling. The conversion from Olver hit the post meaning Bedford still had the advantage.
Some of the decisions that were starting to go against Bedford were sceptical at best and inhibited any sort of momentum swift in the game as everything was going the way of the hosts. Newman was adjudged to have gone high in the tackle and received a yellow card and Donny immediately took advantage as Olver slotted the penalty.
That was the first time in the game they led proceedings but again Bedford came back off the canvas. They immediately went back on the front foot but were thwarted by the missing of a tip tackle on Jack Hughes which forced the subsequent knock-on.
The tide had well and truly turned and you felt almost powerless to stop the pressure continue to build and you could feel the soul being sucked from the game.
This could quite easily be up there with the biggest injustices in sports history for Bedford to not take anything from the game but that's exactly how it came to pass as McBryde got his second late on and Olver converted it to take the game away.
That gave Doncaster the bonus point they were looking for but took away what was the least Bedford deserved from a game which can still be described as a monumental performance. You'd win most weeks playing like that. Unfortunately this wasn't one of those weeks.
Ealing come to town in ten days' time as Bedford look to continue their upward momentum.
*Match Photography from Claire Jones*
Teams
BEDFORD BLUES
15. Rich Lane (C), 14. Josh Gillespie (61'), 13. Tom Litchfield, 12. Oskar Hirskyj-Douglas (66'), 11. Pat Tapley, 10. Will Maisey, 9. Connor Tupai; 1. Joe Wrafter (10'), 2. Jacob Fields (58'), 3. Henry Paul (50'), 4. Will Carrick Smith (58'), 5. Lewis Bean (78'), 6. Ollie Newman, 7. Joe Atkinson, 8. Oli Robinson (59')
Replacements
16. Jack Hughes (58'), 17. Emmanuel Iyogun (10'), 18. Ed Prowse (50'), 19. Jordan Onojaife (58'), 20. Tui Uru (59'), 21. Ewan Fenley (78'), 22. Ethan Grayson (66'), 23. Andre Robson (61')
DONCASTER KNIGHTS
15. Billy McBryde, 14. Kyle Evans, 13. Charlie Foley, 12. Connor Edwards (36'), 11. Howard Packman, 10. Sam Olver, 9. James Mitchell (77'); 1. Conrad Cade, 2. Will Holling, 3. Gaz Denman (47'), 4. Matt Challinor (C) (53'), 5. Jerry Sexton, 6. Conor Joyce (51'), 7. Sam Graham, 8. Guido Volpi
Replacements:
16. George Roberts, 17. Josh Pieterse, 18. Joe Jones (47'), 19. Will Britton (53'), 20. Jack Rouse, 21. Gus Warr (77'), 22. James Newey (36'), 23. Jack Davies (51')
