Ealing on as Blues The march go close
DEAN Adamson wrote himself into more Bedford Blues folklore but it wasn’t enough to prevent them suffering a first home defeat of the season as league leaders Ealing Trailfinders continued their march towards the title.
The perennial try scorer grabbed his 113th club score to move fifth in Bedford’s all-time leaderboard and for a time, that try looked like it would be the springboard for a comeback before Ealing closed the game out with a decisive sixth score of their own.
Speaking at the final whistle, Adamson said: “A very proud moment for me and my family. Really nice to do it in front of the fans here at Goldington Road and it’s been something I’ve been waiting a long time for.
“Shame it came in a defeat but I think we can take a lot of positives into Jersey which will be another tough game for us at home.”
The first half was an attritional one that saw both sides trade tries and magic moments with EalJERSEY ing holding the slender advantage at the break. It was an electric contest and could really have gone either way with proceedings turning on a sixpence.
Two tries early in the second half looked like Ealing were going to stroll to victory but Mike Rayer’s side had other ideas by stirring a magnificent comeback.
Roared by another huge crowd support, Blues picked things up a notch and after Adamson
got the ball rolling then replacements Jake Garside and Michael Le Bourgeois also crossed, it was 31-33.
But they couldn’t find that final passage of play to take the roof off Goldington Road as Ealing stayed composed in the face of the onslaught, stayed patient and struck the knockout final blow through the league’s leading try scorer, Carlo Tizzano.
A huge banana skin avoided for Ben Ward’s side who leave things in their own hands ahead of flying to Jersey in a couple of weeks.
Ealing Director of Rugby, Ben Ward said: “This game shows what the Championship is all about. Loads of attacking rugby, everything we
REFEREE: DANCE: STAR MAN expected from a trip to Goldington Road. We’re delighted to get the five points. Bedford are a brilliant side and they were never going to be out of the game. I thought we took our time in the game, when the pressure came on at the end, I was really pleased with how we maintained composure.”