Bedford kicked off and mounted their first attack before kicking for touch in the Bristol 22.  They were penalised at the lineout and Bristol then attempted a rolling maul which was well held by the hosts and Bristol knocked on.  Bedford swept into the attack and tried a grubber kick to touch on the five metre line.  David Blaney broke away from the lineout and made some progress but was not supported and was penalised for holding on.  The Bedford fullback, Pritchard, was surprisingly wide of the target with his goal attempt.

Bristol were awarded a lineout after the ball clearly bounced off the hip of a Bristol player.  The officials incurred the wrath of the Bedford ‘followers' and continued to do so for most of the match.  In any event the lineout was followed by an aimless kick which Bedford returned with interest to keep Bristol under pressure.  Bristol defended well but kept handing the initiative back to Bedford with further aimless kicks.  It looked as if they were bound to score but, with the try line out left seemingly at their mercy, the final pass was too strong and the ball was knocked-on.  Adrian Jarvis went for a long kick but failed to find touch.  This time it was Bedford's turn for the aimless kick tactic and Jack Adams made good ground up the left wing before being forced into touch.

Bristol now managed to exert some pressure of their own. There was some good play from Lee Robinson who made a good break into midfield that was well supported.  He popped up again in the move to take the ball further on.   Bristol continued to attack and Bedford came offside and gave Jarvis a penalty chance at the end of the first quarter.  He made no mistake and, somewhat against the run of things, Bristol had the lead at 0 - 3.  Bristol kept trying to kick their way into dangerous positions and finally managed to put the receiver under pressure.  At a breakdown Jarvis darted across the gain line and it looked as if Bristol were through and at pace but a despairing ankle tap just made contact to halt the move.  Bedford regrouped and attacked down the left but Dan Norton got back well to halt Pritchard.  Bristol forced the turnover but again Jarvis failed to make touch with his clearance.  An attempted Bristol move broke down in midfield and Bedford were able to hack the ball downfield.  The ball refused to sit up and a second hack on sent the ball straight into touch to let Bristol off the hook.

With things now looking more even Bristol tried to break through the suffocating defence and we saw a good break from Luke Eves.  Bedford were penalised for going off their feet and a comment saw them marched back 10 metres.  They were consistently penalised for this, much to the team's and supporters' irritation.  But if you keep getting pinged for this, then try not to do it.  I believe the referee was right to pick up on this, it's an offence that seems rarely to be noticed at the ruck but prevents any real contest for the ball.  Frankly we got the rub of the green from the referee, but after last season when far too often we were penalised for things the other team were also doing I can't say I'm too disappointed.  Anyway things seemed to turn around a bit in the second half.

The forwards took the ball on from the resultant lineout and, failing to make the breakthrough, the ball went out to the backs where Adams knocked on to let Bedford back onto the attack.  Bristol just managed to halt the dangerous move and, aided by some generous refereeing, managed to work their way back into the Bedford half.  Bristol knocked-on, but, from the next move, were promptly followed by Bedford.  The hosts were penalised at the scrum and Jarvis stepped up to take the score to 0 - 6 with the last touch of the half.

The second half started with a bang as, just three minutes in, Bedford attacked through appalling midfield defence.  A thirty metre dash followed by some neat offloading saw Fielden romp over with scarcely a Bristol hand laid on a Bedford player.   Crucially, as it proved, the conversion was missed but the score now stood at 5 - 6.  However, straight from the restart Bedford were penalised in front of the posts, but Jarvis was shockingly wide.

Bristol tried to strike back down the left wing but knocked-on.  Bristol were then penalised and Bedford cleared the danger with an excellent long touchfinder.  Things then looked dangerous for Bristol as a Bedford kick out to the wing saw Robinson clumsily knock-on.  I'm sure his detractors will seize on this error but it was his subsequent fielding of a Bedford kick and two long range clearance kicks from other attacks that kept Bristol in the game.  In any event he looked just about the best Bristol player so one error, even if glaring, isn't too bad.  Oh and his long kicks made touch, which is more than some other players managed to do.

Robinson also looked to have scored out wide when a fluent Bristol move saw play switched from right wing to left and Robinson onto the final pass at great pace.  The referee ruled the pass forward.  I was above and slightly behind the move and it didn't look forward to me.  There was no cry of "Forward!" from the Bedford supporters down on the ground right by the touchline (or those behind me who were vociferous, and inaccurate, in their calls earlier in the game [ particularly Tom Arscott's kick from ‘outside' the 22 which they had no way of seeing]).  I'm told, by someone over on the far side that it was definitely forward, but who do you believe?  Obviously me, but the referee, inexplicably, didn't consult me, so Bristol failed with their clearest opportunity to score the first try against Bedford this season.

Encouraged, Bristol tried to finish off the game.  A win on Bedford's lineout allowed Bristol to get the ball out quickly to the left wing before Tarscott flipped out a pass to his imaginary friend outside.  Still Bristol attempted to up their pace and kept Bedford pinned back.  A Jarvis chip and chase looked a good option before Bedford volleyed the ball back.  Bedford kicked the ball long to relieve the pressure before both sides nervously knock-on.  Bedford attempted to strike from deep and fine cut out passing saw them stretch the Bristol defence before a chippy-grubbery type kick  just eluded the attackers allowing Norton to touch the ball down.  Bristol then made good ground as Robinson powered into midfield and then back out to the wing.  Norton jinked his way forward only be hauled down as it looked as if he might find a way through.  The ball was whipped back infield only to be knocked on by replacement Darren Crompton in the centre.

Bedford forced Bristol back and good kicking put them well into the 22.  Bristol were penalised at the scrum.  With time running out, Pritchard missed his kick at goal.  Still Bedford sought the crucial score and a high tackle by Crompton was rightly penalised (but didn't deserve a yellow card).  This allowed Bedford to sweep into the attack and excellent passing allowed them to outflank the Bristol defence.  They plugged away but Bristol held firm and at last they went for the drop goal which, fortunately, was well wide.  Bristol looked to have survived the final assault when the ball went loose in midfield and replacement Junior Fatiolafa (very popular with the home crowd) seemed set to launch a cruel breakaway attack against an overcommitted defence.  But Bristol had gone offside and Bedford had a last penalty attempt.  Right in front of the posts.  Silence.  He misses.  The whistle blows.  Game over.

After the game the travelling support, though grateful and, perhaps, surprised at the narrow victory were curiously downbeat.  Surely a win against a side expected to challenge for top honours was enough?  Some aspects of play were good; in particular the lineout looks far more effective, as does the scrum.  However, the tactics behind our kicking game continue to escape me.  We seem to kick ball straight to the opposition without putting them under pressure.  Yes, Bristol do push up, but in a line intended to contain rather than to attack.  Too often the kicks appear to be aimlessly directed and long ones are rarely to touch.  Our place kicking continues to be suspect.  In all honesty I'd let Lee Robinson have a go at the long ones.  I know he's a bit hit and miss, but how does that differ from our current approach?  Stick to a rugby league style with a straight run and hoof. See what happens.

Our support play looks a bit better, but I think it is still too slow to arrive and this leads to slow ball out of the breakdown which leaves little space for our more dangerous runners.  The defence, generally, looked much tighter.  Perhaps the second half workout against Rotherham was deliberate after all.

As to individual performances, I thought Robinson was good, particularly in the first half and Blaney and Winters in the forwards.  Fatiolofa impressed in the short time he was on.  Others disappointed.  Was Adams injured?  He didn't look half as sharp as in previous games and he certainly doesn't like passing!  Tarscott also looked bit lost when attacking and was definitely injured in the second half and I don't understand why he wasn't replaced.  Still, a win's a win.  I hope our ration of luck wasn't used up in this game as we might need some to see as through the play-offs.

View a Printer Friendly version of this Story.

Bookmark or share this story with:

• Digg
• Delicious
• Facebook
• Reddit
• Stumbleupon

Related Articles:

• Titans Overthrown
• Bristol Labour to First Away Victory
• Bristol Just Do Enough