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REPORT | Gritty Derby Day Delight
Bedford Blues concluded their Premiership Rugby Cup exploits for 2024/25 in positive fashion with a 21-7 away success at Ampthill.
With horrendous conditions swirling around The Olney Field, it wasn’t exactly one for the purists but Blues again showed they find different ways to win with particularly impressive performances in both 22m zones – striking when in the red zone and defending with gusto.
Three yellow cards with be a frustration as discipline did creep in, but after all the hard work they’ve had to put in over recent weeks, you can forgive the lads for showing some signs of fatigue and getting on the wrong side of the referee’s whistle.
Victory ensured Bedford finished the cup campaign with a haul of 14 points – the fourth highest out of any Championship side. Huge congratulations to Ealing Trailfinders as the only second-tier representatives in the knockout stages.
Forwards Coach, Tom Cruse said: “Really pleased and there were some really good bits in there as well. Probably not the greatest game to watch, we’d all admit that, but for us to come away and get the result is good.
“Discipline did come into a little bit, Ampthill threw everything at us, and we put in a pretty decent defensive shift to hold them out. To finish the campaign, which comes off a pretty hectic schedule, is really pleasing.
“It looks like the lads need a break. We can talk momentum and all that sort of thing but also, there’s a lot of fatigue out there. The lads have put in so much work since Cambridge, it’s been difficult for them, so they’ll have a break and then come back in for a couple of weeks before the Championship resumes.”
Blues needed to defend their own line from the first whistle to the last as Ampthill tried to bludgeon there way through. An early yellow card for Luke Frost gave them particular impetus but they couldn’t get to the line as Mike Rayer’s side kept them at bay.
It wasn’t an afternoon particular conducive to Bedford’s attack from anywhere vision for the game, but they were good value for their opening score of the afternoon – Will Maisey grubbered it through and Louis James had the gas to kick it a little further before dotting down.
Bedford have been garnering a lot of support this season, particularly for their astute attitude at finding different ways to win, and it was from a lethal driving maul that Tommy Herman doubled the advantage.
With the conversions, Will Maisey surpassed 1,500 career points.
Into the second half and when Fred Tuilagi crashed over from close range to make it 21-0, you thought the result might be signed, sealed and delivered.
But credit to Ampthill who managed to pick themselves up off the canvas and cause some almighty problems when camped on the Blues line. Both Tuilagi and Luke Frost spent time in the sin bin, and Evan Mitchell cut the deficit.
There isn’t too much else to change up this fixture – this being the 19th meeting inn just over five years – but one thing that hasn’t happened is a draw and you’d be forgiven for thinking Ampthill would carve one out such was their pounding of the try line.
It wasn’t to be, however, as Bedford rallied time and time again to make it three Battle of Bedfordshire successes in a row.
*Matchday Photography by Claire Jones – RedHatPhoto.co.uk*
