News

REPORT | Blues undone on home soil

Posted: 1st January 2024

Bedford Blues missed the chance to rise to the summit of the Championship table as they started 2024 in defeat on home soil as Coventry secured a 34-19 away success.

Sometimes it just isn’t your day. And it just wasn’t Bedford Blues’ as they struggled to get to grips with the game throughout and were always chasing the effervescent away side who came with a specific gameplan, and credit where its due, they executed it perfectly.

It might not be what we all describe as entertaining or exciting, but it was effective on the day. The heavens opened; it was attritional – all the things you don’t want it to be in terms of allowing Bedford to execute their style of rugby.

As un-Bedford a performance as you could imagine. Scrum was class and as good as it has been, all three tries from superb work at driving mauls – a shame the things you quantify as staple didn’t quite come off to add to that.

Cameron King scored twice to take his tally to five for the campaign, while a penalty try gave Blues their third of the afternoon. Will Maisey kept himself ticking over with a couple of points as he looks to retain his accolade of Championship’s top marksman from last season.

Sellout capacity of 5,000 packed into Goldington Road as Blues sold out another Festive fixture. Shame the result wasn’t quite what everyone was hoping for, but you can’t have everything in life. A lot of room for improvement and onto Doncaster Knights (A) on Saturday 20^th January.

A couple of weeks to re-group and come back stronger. Still 4^th in the league and plenty to be excited about. We fight back stronger, together and united.

*Matchday Photography by Claire Jones - redhatphoto.co.uk and Kie Fewster - gallery.keyeyeshoots.co.uk*

Teams

BEDFORD BLUES

15. Matt Worley, 14. Sean French, 13. Jordan Venter (64'), 12. Michael Le Bourgeois, 11. Dean Adamson, 10. Will Maisey, 9. Alex Day (C) (76'); 1. Joey Conway (54'), 2. James Fish (70'), 3. Oisin Heffernan (54'), 4. Tom Lockett, 5. Alex Woolford (59'), 6. Luke Frost (64'), 7. Joe Howard, 8. Cameron King (64')

Replacements

16. Craig Wright (70'), 17. Jamie Jack (54'), 18. Bryan O'Connor (54'), 19. Robin Williams (59'), 20. Kayde Sylvester (64'), 21. Jac Arthur (64'), 22. James Lennon (76'), 23. Louis Grimoldby (64')

COVENTRY

15. Tobi Wilson, 14. Ryan Hutler, 13. Will Rigg, 12. Ollie Betteridge, 11. James Martin, 10. Pat Pellegrini, 9. Will Chudley; 1. Elliot Chilvers (64'), 2. Jordon Poole (C), 3. Vilikesa Nairau (40') (64'), 4. James Tyas (57'), 5. Obinna Nkwocha, 6. Paddy Ryan (64'), 7. Matt Kvesic, 8. Senitiki Nayalo

Replacements:

16. Will Biggs, 17. Danny Southworth (64'), 18. Elliot Salt (40') (64'), 19. Rhys Anstey (57'), 20. Tom Ball (64'), 21. Will Lane, 22. Louis James, 23. Jack Bartlett