Bees 16-68 Bedford
By Roger Clarke - Birmingham Mail
March 17 2006
NOT only did the wheels come off for Pertemps Bees at Sharmans Cross Road but they also lost the axles, suspension and much of the body-work as Bedford won 68-16 thanks to a 10-try blitz.
By Roger Clarke - Birmingham Mail
March 17 2006
NOT only did the wheels come off for Pertemps Bees at Sharmans Cross Road but they also lost the axles, suspension and much of the body-work as Bedford won 68-16 thanks to a 10-try blitz.
NOT only did the wheels come off for Pertemps Bees at Sharmans Cross Road but they also lost the axles, suspension and much of the body-work as Bedford won 68-16 thanks to a 10-try blitz.
Bees' cause was not helped by serious injuries in the forwards early on with flanker Duncan White being taken to hospital with a broken leg and hooker Matt Miles joining him with ruptured ankle ligaments as the ambulance was called to the ground twice in the first 15 minutes.
Bees, who had beaten full-time Exeter in their last home outing and had given the Cornish Pirates a battle last week, had started brightly with scrum-half Ben Harvey landing two penalties in the first five minutes to give the home side a 6-0 lead.
Bedford wing Mike Staten went over soon after but that only closed the gap to a point as fly-half Ali Hepher failed to convert - his only miss all afternoon.
Bedford did take the lead on 25 minutes, though, when the home scrum was forced over for No8 Shaun Brady to touch down.
Hepher landed the extras to start a Bedford club record of nine conversions on the bounce.
Five minutes later hooker Chris Johnson went over but Bees battled back when Tim Walsh set centre Simon
Martin away under the posts and Harvey landed the extras for 19-13.
With almost the last action of the half, though, Adam Kettle was shunted over for the visitors and the extras made it 26-13 at the break.
Nick Baxter attempts to break the challenge of Bedford's Craig Moir
Harvey landed a penalty two minutes after the restart but then it became a procession with Staten grabbing his second then replacement Kieron Hallet, centre Tom Luke, full-back James Hinkins, second-row Mark Comb and flanker Chris Rainbow all going over.
The defeat means Bees drop into the second relegation spot as they were overtaken by Doncaster, who beat London Welsh 30-11.
Director of rugby Phil Maynard said: "It was a bridge too far. We played Exeter and Penzance in the last couple of weeks and then Bedford and that was a near perfect performance.
"To be fair Bedford were outstanding yesterday. We have no arguments with the referee or anything.
"It was just a one-off performance by Bedford who have been threatening to do that all year apparently and according to their coaches that was the best they have played all season.
"Our game against Penzance last week was a tough one which took a lot out of us. It took a lot out of Penzance because they were beaten by Sedgeley Park on Saturday.
"We have learned to draw a line under things like this and press on because we are not that bad at the end of the day.
"It was a very good performance by Bedford and they are on fire at the moment.
"When the wheels came off for the last 20 minutes we looked exactly what we were, beaten up.
"Exeter, Penzance and Bedford in the same month - we were just keeping our fingers in the dyke really."
Bees' cause was not helped by serious injuries in the forwards early on with flanker Duncan White being taken to hospital with a broken leg and hooker Matt Miles joining him with ruptured ankle ligaments as the ambulance was called to the ground twice in the first 15 minutes.
Bees, who had beaten full-time Exeter in their last home outing and had given the Cornish Pirates a battle last week, had started brightly with scrum-half Ben Harvey landing two penalties in the first five minutes to give the home side a 6-0 lead.
Bedford wing Mike Staten went over soon after but that only closed the gap to a point as fly-half Ali Hepher failed to convert - his only miss all afternoon.
Bedford did take the lead on 25 minutes, though, when the home scrum was forced over for No8 Shaun Brady to touch down.
Hepher landed the extras to start a Bedford club record of nine conversions on the bounce.
Five minutes later hooker Chris Johnson went over but Bees battled back when Tim Walsh set centre Simon
Martin away under the posts and Harvey landed the extras for 19-13.
With almost the last action of the half, though, Adam Kettle was shunted over for the visitors and the extras made it 26-13 at the break.
Nick Baxter attempts to break the challenge of Bedford's Craig Moir
Harvey landed a penalty two minutes after the restart but then it became a procession with Staten grabbing his second then replacement Kieron Hallet, centre Tom Luke, full-back James Hinkins, second-row Mark Comb and flanker Chris Rainbow all going over.
The defeat means Bees drop into the second relegation spot as they were overtaken by Doncaster, who beat London Welsh 30-11.
Director of rugby Phil Maynard said: "It was a bridge too far. We played Exeter and Penzance in the last couple of weeks and then Bedford and that was a near perfect performance.
"To be fair Bedford were outstanding yesterday. We have no arguments with the referee or anything.
"It was just a one-off performance by Bedford who have been threatening to do that all year apparently and according to their coaches that was the best they have played all season.
"Our game against Penzance last week was a tough one which took a lot out of us. It took a lot out of Penzance because they were beaten by Sedgeley Park on Saturday.
"We have learned to draw a line under things like this and press on because we are not that bad at the end of the day.
"It was a very good performance by Bedford and they are on fire at the moment.
"When the wheels came off for the last 20 minutes we looked exactly what we were, beaten up.
"Exeter, Penzance and Bedford in the same month - we were just keeping our fingers in the dyke really."
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