Bedford Blues left Grantchester Road with the bragging rights in this local derby after a turbo-charged second half performance blew away the stubborn resistance of Cambridge, who were well in the game at the break.
Blues DOR Mike Rayer felt his side upped their game considerably after half time, saying “The boys weren’t too happy with the first forty minutes – though that was also credit to Cambridge, who steadied the ship after we scored a couple of early tries and they could have had a couple more than they got and played some good rugby. We knew we’d have to go quite deep in the game. We’re happy enough with where we are this season but there’s still two games to go and we’re stuck in second, and the boys are working hard”.
The two early scores from Blues – where Lucas Titherington went over from close in before Jamie Jack just squeezed over in the corner from extended phase play – saw them with a 12-nil lead. Will Maisey converted Titherington’s score. Then the Blood & Sand thrilled the home crowd with a belting finish from Josh Skelcey before some nifty footwork from Sam Hanks saw him dot down close enough for Eli Caven to convert.
The full back then fell foul of a cruel bounce in his 22 for Dean Adamson to pounce and retake the lead with Maisey converting again before Cave reduced the arrears from 35 metres with a penalty straight on to the sticks.
After that, the rub of the green finally deserted interim head coach Anthony Allen’s side and Blue’s stretched their lead through Louis James to tee up what turned out to be a much more one-sided second half.
A turquoise tidal wave tore the Blood & Sand asunder, despite the hosts best efforts, which, at times were herculean. Blues though, were in irresistible form and fashioned two-on-ones and three-on-twos to pick Cambridge off. James scored another, Matt Worley hacked on for a 40 metre run in, Adamson added two more for his hat-trick either side of touchdowns from James Lennon and a second for Titherington, then added his fourth of the afternoon to settle matters.
With his side on the wrong end of another big score, Allen preferred to focus on the positives. “We gave debuts today to two boys off our own production line. They’ve played Colts and for the 1923 Academy side and come up through the ranks. Mark Miska-Alvarez and Preston Macfarlane will be part of the squad for the final two fixtures and will take lessons from today into the trips to Ampthill and Chinnor. It’s been a big step up for them today, but both acquitted themselves very well and it’s a testament to the Club’s development strategy that they could come in and do so at late notice”.
Teams
Cambridge
Caven 7 (Betteridge 41 6) , Skelcey 7, Hanks 7, Hema 8 Tarrant 6 (Macfarlane 53 6), White 8; Nearchou 7 (Bridges 12, Nearchou 22, Bridges 53 6), Brownlie 7 (Veness 59 6) , Ellwood 7 (murphy 68 6), Bretag-Norris 7 (Marsters 75), Friend 6 (Baxter 53 6) Sylvester 6 , Gaffan, 7 Adams 8 (C) (Miska-Alvarez 56 6)
Bedford
James 8, Worley 8, Titherington 9, Matavesi 8 (Le Bourgeois 67 6), Adamson 8, Maisey 8, Day 8(C) (Lennon 56 7); Jack 8 (Conway 41 8), Herman 8 (Fish 41 7), Heffernan 8 (Nonleh 56 6), Ward 8 (Kerry 56 7) , Woolford 8, Frost 8, Benson 8 (Howard 52 7), Tuilagi 8 (Brown 56 7)
Scorers
Cambridge
Tries – Skelcey 17, Hanks 23
Cons – Caven 24
Pens – Caven 30
Bedford
Tries – Titherington 3, 72, Jack 14, Adamson 26, 58, 76, 80, James 40, 48, Worley 54, Lennon 67
Cons – Maisey 4, 27, 40, 50, 59, 68, 73, 77, 80
HT 15-24 FT 15-73
Attendance 1,912
Referee Ben Simpson