REPORT | Blues suffer home defeat to Nottingham

Posted: 21st March 2026
 

Bedford Blues suffered a rare home defeat as they were made to pay for an error strewn performance in a 14-10 defeat to Nottingham at Goldington Road.

Director of Rugby, Mike Rayer conceded: “We’ve only got ourselves to blame really. We made too many handling errors and let too many chances get away from us. There’ll be sides looking at this result and rubbing their hands thinking we’re there to be taken – it’s up to us to rise to that challenge.”

Blues had lost just two of their previous 21 games on home soil in the league, but in truth, they never really looked like winning this one with error after error being compounded by a resolute defensive effort from Nottingham who were well worth their points on the day. 

A first victory at Goldington Road for the Archers in roughly a decade, November 2016 the last time they tasted success on enemy territory, and their win continues the dramatic race for the Top Six. Nottingham in eighth, as Blues one of only two in the play-offs to lose, after Hartpury's defeat to Ampthill on Friday. 

Rayer's men drop to third, just one behind Worcester and only two in-front of Coventry. It's going right to the wire and Blues will have to find a much improved performance if they are to get a home game of some description in the post-season. 

Blues can control their own destiny by playing the top two away and other members of the play-off places back at Goldington Road before the end of the season. First up is looking to right the wrongs against Cambridge next weekend, a game with added pressure thanks to the Blues Big Day Out with hundreds following the team through the Bedford Blues Supporters Coach convoy.

The massive frustration is that Blues are creating chances, they just can't take them at the moment. They will wonder just how they haven't beaten Nottingham this season with so much territory and possession in both games. 

Credit to Nottingham for that because their defence was outstanding for large parts of the game at Lady Bay, and even more so in this one. There won't be many times that Bedford are restricted to just one try at Goldington Road, and they will have to lick their wounds. 

Some tough reviews will follow on Monday and Tuesday because the team have worked too hard this season to see it all fall apart in the final block of fixtures. Onto Cambridge and the rest of the remaining fixtures.