News
REPORT | Seventh heaven as Blues win at Nottingham
Dean Adamson’s second hat-trick of the season against Nottingham helped Bedford Blues return to winning ways in rampant style as they put their hosts to the sword at Lady Bay to secure a 47-22 victory.
It was another vintage away performance from Mike Rayer’s side as they controlled virtually every facet of the game from start to finish to move back up to 5th position in the Championship ahead of the final two fixtures in the regular Championship season.
After the upcoming bye weekend, Blues host Coventry under the Friday Night Lights then conclude the league campaign away at London Scottish – in what will be Rayer’s 500th match in charge as Director of Rugby.
There won’t have been many better performances during his previous 498 games as Blues responded to a late defeat against Cornish Pirates last weekend; Jordan Onojaife and Tui Uru particularly impressing when leading from the front with huge carries and breakdown turnovers.
That gave Blues the platform to go and do things the ‘Bedford Way’ as they scored even more classic tries to secure a first victory at Lady Bay since 2018.
Nottingham arguably started the better to lead 14-5 following a frantic opening 10 minutes. Joey Conway’s charging run to the line for his first professional try came either side of scores from Charlie Thacker and the influential fly half, Morgan Bunting.
It suggested a slow start from Rayer’s side but if that were the case, then they were irresistible when they got going as Nottingham were helpless to stop them in their tracks.
A couple of darting runs from Matt Worley gave Nottingham something to think about on the right side, and that in turn created space on the left as Adamson ran home the first of his trio to draw Blues closer.
Conway’s second, after another marauding run, put Blues in-front for the first time in the contest and they never really looked back from that as it was more of the same after the restart.
The forwards continued to put in the hard yards and the backs continued to profit; first Adamson got his second after the ball was recycled quickly allowing Rich Lane to get yet another assist when setting the winger away.
Nottingham hit back temporarily to draw the score back to 26-22 in Bedford’s favour but from there, Blues scored 21 unanswered points as they withstood the attack as Nottingham went for the try bonus point and picked off their hosts when in possession to race home.
Connor Tupai spotted a gap to snipe over just after the hour before Reuben Bird-Tulloch scored the try of the match with a beautiful run; carving the Nottingham defence apart like a knife through butter to go under the posts.
Adamson’s hat-trick try completed a fantastic afternoon at Lady Bay as Blues go their mojo back ahead of the final two league games of the campaign. Make sure you’re there to join us and get behind the team; buy tickets for home league and cup matches here.
Teams
BEDFORD BLUES
15. Rich Lane (C), 14. Matt Worley, 13. Reuben Bird-Tulloch, 12. Joel Matavesi (67'), 11. Dean Adamson, 10. Louis Grimoldby (60'), 9. Alex Day (47'); 1. Joey Conway (55'), 2. Jacob Fields (47'), 3. Ed Prowse (65'), 4. Robin Williams (47'), 5. Jordan Onojaife, 6. Luke Frost, 7. Joe Atkinson, 8. Tui Uru (65')
Replacements
16. Jack Hughes (47'), 17. Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi (55'), 18. Osman Dimen (65'), 19. Alex Woolford (65'), 20. Oli Stedman (47'), 21. Connor Tupai (47'), 22. Will Maisey (60'), 23. Jamie Elliott (67')
NOTTINGHAM
15. Jack Stapley, 14. David Williams, 13. Charlie Thacker, 12. Will Simonds, 11. Joe Browning (60'), 10. Morgan Bunting (50'), 9. Michael Stronge (60'); 1. Toby Williams (54'), 2. Archie Vanes, 3. Ben Betts (54'), 4. Scott Hall (74'), 5. Jack Ramshaw (40'), 6. Carl Kirwan, 7. Lewis Barrett, 8. Josh Poullet
Replacements:
16. Storm Hanekom (74'), 17. Aniseko Sio (54'), 18. Josh McNulty (54'), 19. Callum Allen (40'), 20. Jacob Wright, 21. Matt Marsh (60'), 22. Sam Hollingsworth (50'), 23. James Peachey (60')
REFEREE
Harry Walbaum
ATTENDANCE
1,305
