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REPORT | Blues victorious on Derby Day

Posted: 30th September 2023

An ABBA tribute band lit up The Olney Field after the game and it was Ampthill left needing an SOS after a stirring late comeback saw Bedford Blues secure a 24-19 away victory.

Not quite the battle of Waterloo, but another attritional performance required to see off a familiar foe. A 15^th meeting between Bedford and Ampthill in just five years, definitely a case of Knowing Me, Knowing You.

Blues were Under Attack right from the first whistle as Ampthill controlled most of the play in the first half and deservedly led going into half time.

Tries from Tom Bacon and Charlie Bracken had them 12-0 to the good but just like April’s visit along the B530, Blues stayed firm and withstood the onslaught enough to ensure the scoreboard was still worth fighting for. And just like five months ago, they struck on the stroke of the break to give themselves a chance.

Not quite Voulez Vous rugby but if was effective enough to get to the line as Joey Conway wriggled under the challenge to dot it down.

Gimme Gimme Gimme A Try After Half Time was the cry from the crowd as Blues looked to whip themselves into shape after the break but it was again Ampthill who started the better and dotted down on 43 minutes to stretch the lead to 19-7.

Blues again had to be patience personified as both sides started to make mistakes. One thing that never floundered was the Bedford scrum, and when you’re at a place like Ampthill, it’s a pretty good weapon to have in your armoury.

Five successive scrum penalties saw a yellow card shown to Ampthill’s Zac Nearchou and a route back into the contest as Joe Howard had a walk in after peeling away.

Ampthill actually stayed firm for the rest of that sin bin period but when Josh Skelcey passed on the chance to seal the game late on when Blues dragged him into touch, Mike Rayer’s side smelt blood.

Again, it was like April all over again as just like in that fixture, Sean French became the Dancing Queen to dot down at the death. The only difference this time was he scored to the right of the posts and not the left.

A penalty from Louis Grimoldby with the last kick of the game wrapped up what, for a long time, looked like the most unlikely of victories.

The Winner Takes It All.

Teams

BEDFORD BLUES

15. Ewan Baker (68'), 14. Sean French, 13. Ethan Grayson (52'), 12. Michael Le Bourgeois, 11. Dean Adamson, 10. Louis Grimoldby, 9. Lennon; 1. Joey Conway (53'), 2. Jacob Fields (47'), 3. Bryan O'Connor (47'), 4. Jordan Onojaife (47'), 5. Robin Williams (53'), 6. Luke Frost, 7. Jac Arthur, 8. Cameron King (53')

Replacements

16. James Fish (47'), 17. Jamie Jack (53'), 18. Oisin Heffernan (47'), 19. Emeka Atuanya (47'), 20. Kieran Curran (53'), 21. Joe Howard (53'), 22. Matt Worley (68'), 23. Tom Litchfield (52')

AMPTHILL

15. Tom Bacon, 14. Josh Skelcey, 13. Ollie Morris, 12. Fraser Strachan (73'), 11. Oli Dawkins, 10. Gwyn Parks (63'), 9. Charlie Bracken (56'); 1. Jasper McGuire (56'), 2. Syd Blackmore (5'), 3. Harvey Beaton (56'), 4. Iestyn Rees, 5. Kaden Pearce-Paul, 6. Josh Smart (72'), 7. Joe Bercis (50'), 8. Morgan Strong

Replacements:

16. Ben Chapman (5'), 17. Zac Nearchou (56'), 18. Dom Hardman (56'), 19. Griff Evans (72'), 20. Sam Asotasi (50'), 21. Pete White (56'), 22. Josh Bragman (63'), 23. Ewan Greenlaw (73')