Bedford strength tells but Club show their spirit

THE pace and physicality of the Championship side succeeded in the end as Bedford scored four second half tries without reply.

But ahead of a tough start to their National League One campaign Blackheath will be pleased with a competitive performance against strong opposition which at times saw them in ascendancy.

Not to begin with though. As the hosts conceded a penalty from the first setpiece, Sione Vailanu, below, powered his way through for the opening try, and with the re-start failing to go ten metres, a second scrum saw Jordan Burns break tackles for another score and a 12-0 lead for the visitors.

Nevertheless, as Club found territory, Mark Cooke picked up off his toes to score, and a drive off line-out ball enabled Hayden King to crash over, nudging the hosts into the lead on the half-hour.

For a while Bedford’s discipline deserted them allowing Josh Davies to cross from a quick-tap which, with Joe Tarrant adding a third conversion, gave Blackheath a 21-12 advantage at the break.

Vailanu’s second try narrowed the deficit, the back-row crashing over as the ball was moved across field, but it was two tries on the hour that settled the outcome.

With a raft of Bedford replacements quickening the tempo, Michael Le Bourgeois crossed as the ball came into the midfield from a line-out, and straight from the re-start a lightning quick move had Howard Packham and Lee Dickson combining down the left flank for the latter to score.

Packham added a sixth try for good measure to complete a dominant second half and comfortable win.