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REPORT | Champagne Sunday with double victory
It was another red-letter day in the history of Bedford Blues RFC as both senior sides secured away victories on a vintage Sunday to bring Christmas cheer to all in the #BluesFamily.
Gritty and attritional performances were required to overcome some potential banana skins as both sides were involved in dramatic finales – securing nine out of the joint 10 points on offer to strengthen their respective league ambitions.
Mike Rayer’s men’s side fought back for a 22-20 success at London Scottish, which followed a slightly easier afternoon for Eddie Rennell’s women who secured a 24-5 win at Wymondham Wasps.
Just the second time in history both senior sides have taken the field on the same day as each other and a second double victory as the good times keep on rolling with Festive cheer in abundance.
Women to spend Christmas inside the Top Two
On paper, this looked like a walkover for Rennell’s imperious side who are unbeaten on the road, and facing a Wymondham side who don’t score many points and have struggled for results this season.
But this was a tough test of their desire and ambition after such a long coach journey as the home side dragged them into a battle and they couldn’t get their free-flowing rugby on display too much throughout the contest.
A half-time scoreline of 5-0 in favour of Bedford had some pondering what was going on, but Rennell’s side went about their business with the sort of calm that will work wonders moving forwards.
Laura Stephens’ decisive score had them in the lead before Alivia Usher-Harris and Claire Cranfield scored their customary tries either side of a Wymondham response.
A dominant penalty try with the last play of the game ensued it was a bonus point in their final game of 2024 to set up another titanic tussle at Peterborough in the New Year.
Men fightback to stun Scottish
Sixty minutes of disappointing rugby mixed with twenty full of character, heart and desire to secure what for a long time seemed an unlikely result.
For the first time this season, Blues were half a yard off it in every department and London Scottish took full advantage to build a 17-5 half-time advantage, Alec Lloyd-Seed knocking over some points off the tee to compliment tries for Austin Wallis and Sean Kerr.
A topsy turvy opening to the second half resulted in Lloyd-Seed making it a three-score game and Blues looked dead and buried with little impetus in the game and an unusually toothless attack heading towards the hour.
Blues needed a spark, and they were presented with an opportunity on 65 minutes when Zach Carr was sent to the sin bin for halting a charge to the line. A chance to refocus and go about their business they did with ruthless aggression.
Luke Frost cut the deficit and when Joe Howard also crashed over, it was a one-point game.
A penalty on 76 minutes from Will Maisey drifted wide but when he was presented with another shot three minutes later, ice ran through his veins to complete an unbelievable comeback and consolidate third place in the table.
SUPER SUNDAY SECURED
