Match Report: Bedford Blues 27-23 Coventry

Gritty Coventry almost clinched an against-the-odds win at Bedford despite the 51^st minute dismissal of Jordon Poole for two yellow cards.

With Tommy Mathews kicking 13 points the visitors held a three-point advantage with five minutes remaining before Bedford topped off a long spell of pressure by driving replacement James Fish over for a match-clinching fourth try.

Charlie Robson and Ryan Hutler claimed tries for Cov to which Fish, Tommy Herman and Dean Adamson replied for the Blues who were also awarded a penalty try following Poole’s red card.

And ultimately it was Bedford who made fewer errors, conceded fewer penalties, scored four tries to two and as a result edged the win that ended their seven-match losing run against Coventry.

Coventry’s replacements were yet to take their seats when Robson fielded a long Bedford clearance on halfway and jinked his way past three tacklers to open the scoring before a minute had gone.

After Mathews added the conversion, it was the hosts who threatened next through an attack built around powerful carries from Michael le Bourgeois and no.8 Cameron King which eventually petered out inside the visitors’ 22.

Robson then did well to prevent former Cov fly half Will Maisey picking out le Bourgeois with a precise cross kick but the home side did eventually convert their territorial superiority into points when hooker Hernan was driven over from close range.

Referee Richard Gordon also showed Cov skipper Poole a yellow card as the fall guy for his team’s persistent infringement before Maisey failed to add an angled conversion.

Although the Blues pressed hard during the power-play period it was Coventry that went closest to claiming a score when Josh Barton recovered a loose pass under the home posts only for some good scramble defence to quickly snuff out the opportunity.

Robson ended an excellent first half with a well-timed sliding intervention that prevented the dangerous Adamson from winning the race to Maisey’s precise grubber.

But despite this it was Bedford who went into the break with their noses in front thanks to their fly half’s well-struck 35-metre penalty.

Former Bedford winger Hutler restored Cov’s advantage soon after the restart when he applied a good finish to a well-constructed move which began with a powerful Tiki Nayalo carry.

After Mathews added the extras, the match took a dramatic turn as Mr Gordon awarded a penalty try to the home side when a maul collapsed at the end of a long spell of pressure deep inside Cov’s 22.

Poole was also deemed responsible and shown a second yellow card along with a red which left the visitors to play 29 minutes with 14 players.

Buoyed by the arrival of fresh legs from the bench the Blue-and-Whites twice won penalties inside the home half which Mathews converted into points with a pair of fine kicks.

But Bedford were back on level terms with 15 minutes remaining when Louis James identified space and picked out Adamson on the left wing who scorched to the corner.

The lead then changed hands for a sixth time when Mathews’ third penalty put Cov 20-23 ahead.

However, the home side kept their heads and as the contest entered the closing five minutes they forced a series of penalties and eventually drove replacement hooker Fish over for a match-clinching try which Maisey upgraded with a fine touchline kick.

Bedford Blues: James ; Garside, Le Bourgeois, Matavesi, Adamson; Maisey, Day; Jack, Herman (Fish 46), Heffernan (Conway 46); Frost, Woolford; Brown, Howard, King (Arthur 53)

Replacements:  Hay, Smith, Ward, Lennon, Titherington  

Coventry: Robson; Opoku (Hitchcock 56), Hutler, Tiueti, Martin; Mathews, Barton (Maunder 43); Trinder (Warren 61), Poole, Salt (Nairau 43); Nkwocha, Tyas; Ball (Owen 71), Hinkley (Biggs 52), Nayalo (Biggs 29-36)

Replacements: Okeke, Mannion

Referee: Richard Gordon

Half-Time: Bedford Blues 8-7 Coventry Rugby

Attendance: 2675

Scorers:

Bedford Blues:

Tries: Hernan (25), Penalty Try (51), Adamson (65), Fish (76)

Conversions: Maisey (76)

Penalties: Maisey (40)

Coventry:

Tries: Robson (1), Hutler (47)

Conversions: Mathews (1) (47)

Penalties: Mathews (55) (60) (68)