Old Bedians triumphed against miserable Cumbrian conditions and a strong Windermere pack to record a valuable away win in North Lancs 1.

It was clear when Bedians kicked off into a cold drizzle that this match was not going to be won by either team playing free flowing rugby, but by the team that made the least errors and capitalised the most on their possession.

From the kick off Bedians immediately gave possession away from an off side in front of the kicker. Windermere showed at the resultant scrum what their prime strength lay, taking advantage of lenient refereeing to hit early and refusing the Bedians front five opportunity to steady the scrum. Windermere won the ball and kicked deep into the Bedians twenty two putting the away side under immediate pressure, which was exacerbated by number eight John Jones being harshly sin binned for handling in a ruck.

Windermere spent the next fifteen minutes camped on the Bedians line. A punishing series of scrums nearly resulted in tries on several occasions, however Windermere were not able to force the scrum over the line, and fierce tackling from Bedians, with Rob Renshaw, Simon Dorey and Chris Hetherington all impressive, meant that Windermere could not find a way through. The Bedians scrum that suffered in the opening exchanges then began to exert itself, even pushing the Windermere scrum backwards on their own ball, with Olly Low, Andy Schofield and Peter Kerr all imposing themselves on the opposition. The result that was after a sustained period of pressure, Windermere had burnt themselves out, settling with a successfully taken penalty goal after by now spending nearly twenty minutes in the Bedians half.

Back to full strength, Bedians began to take the game to the opposition, with Jon Jones showing how valuable he is when actually on the pitch with a barnstorming run from defence deep into the Windermere half. Bedians attempted to move the ball through their younger quicker backs, with fly half John Swift marshalling his backs well. However, too often, overly fussy refereeing at the break down meant that promising positions for both sides were blown up, and the game turned into an attritional forward battle.

One Windermere infringement for off side allowed Will Metcalf to level the scores with a well taken penalty, while Bedians were lucky that the Windermere kicker had an off day, missing two kickable penalties in the first half, and the match turned round 3 - 3. While Bedians would have been the happier of the two sides, they were aware that they need to make their possession pay. This match was clearly going to be close.

Bedians responded well, as shortly after the break they scored the only try of the game, with captain Vince Betty scoring in the corner after a determined and powerful run. Will Metcalf then converted to take the score to 10 -3.

Windermere missed a further three kicks in this half, even resorting to changing their kickers, however, once Bedians scored their second penalty to go 13-3 up it became clear that Windermere had too much to do, and while chasing the game allowed their frustration to get the better of them, committing a series of off the ball incidents missed by the referee. As Windermere became frustrated, gaps opened up, with joint man of the match, centre Dan Gardiner, harshly pulled back for off side while chasing an excellent chip for the try line by the wing Rob Oliver, on as a sub and returning from injury.

Bedians wound the clock down for the remaining minutes, by now exerting almost complete authority on the opposition, with back rows Jones and Renshaw, and second row Leo Carroll strangling the game and refusing to allow the opposition any possession until the end of the match.

The score line could have been closer still had the home side converted their chances, but anything other than an away win would have been a travesty and Bedians will be confident in the belief that had the game been allowed to flow, their quick and dangerous backline would surely have added more points to that total.

Old Bedians carried on their excellent start to the season with a high scoring win against a struggling Blackpool side.

Bedians arrived at Blackpool aware that the home side had conceded nearly 400 points in three games, but nevertheless refused to take the game lightly, remembering their loss in the same fixture last season. However, it took under a minute for Bedians to score their first try of the afternoon. Bedians received the kick off, took the ball in through two phases before scrum half Steve McCracken saw a gap at the side of a ruck and sliced through the Blackpool defensive line before feeding fly half John Swift for the try. Blackpool did make Bedians work hard for their possession in the following exchanges. They were committed at the ruck and maul, and initially competitive in the scrum, and were able to make some ground through the fly half chip kicking though for his three quarters to run onto.

However it was not to last, as it became clear that defensively the Blackpool back line were not up to scratch, as Bedians started to break through tackles almost at will.  Scrum half McCracken and skipper Vince Betty helped themselves to a score each, and even with only three tries conceded, Blackpool looked resigned to losing heavily again. Further tries followed for Rob Renshaw, scored a brace for the fourth time this season, and Dan Gardiner matched him from the wing. Will Metcalfe produced an awesome display of attacking rugby from fullback, making yards every time he got the ball through his trademark marriage of pace and strength, scoring three tries and nine conversions.

While the backs scored the majority of the points, the forward effort was as impressive, with props Low and Edwards putting the Blackpool scrum under continued pressure, hooker Kerr ensuring Bedians’ lineout ball was secured, and back row Chris Hetherington, in a man of the match performance, was tireless at the break down and in support of the backs.

Bedians could in truth have won by more, and were guilty on several occasions of ignoring support runners only to be tackled short of the line, and at other times of over complicating matters, throwing dangerous or unsympathetic passes and giving the ball away. They were probably guilty of allowing Blackpool to drag them down to their level for periods of the game, and if Bedians had been as clinical as in previous weeks, then a hundred points was not beyond them.

However it is difficult to read too much into a game as one sided as this, and Bedians can be happy that they have got back to winning ways after last weeks reverse against the league leaders Heaton Moor. After five games Bedians already have twice as many league wins as the two they managed throughout the whole of last season, and can look forward to the visit of Eccles in two weeks.

Bedians suffered their first loss in the league this season in a home game against a strong Heaton Moor side, but know that they could and perhaps should have won, after failing to make their early dominance of the game count.

Bedians started the game well straight from the kick off. The aggressive offensive game that served Bedians well in their game against Birchfield last week clearly unsettled the visitors, and before long Bedians were camped in the Heaton Moor half. Bede’s put Heaton Moor under immense pressure at the set piece, stealing line out ball and shoving the visitor’s scrum backwards almost at will, stealing a couple of balls against the head. Bedian’s pack played as well as they had all season for large parts of the first half, with front row Low, Kerr and Edwards, and second row Stock all excellent in the scrum, and back rows Renshaw and Coupe imperious in the line out.

Bedians did not just enjoy superiority in the set piece either, with an aggressive rucking game making territory going forward from the runs of centres Vince Betty and Steve Kingston, and yielding a number of Heaton Moor turnovers in defence, with number 8 John Jones proving a real handful for the visiting side. Heaton Moor were starved of possession and given no time to settle on the ball. Their powerful three quarters were able to make a number of runs, but they were stopped by the Bedians’ three quarters with Simon Dorey making a number of bone crunching tackles.

However, Bedians did not convert any of this pressure into points, on occasion looking nervous when in try scoring positions, or being guilty of poor decision making by taking the ball into contact one time too many. They were held up over the line at one stage, and made a number of handling errors in the Heaton Moor twenty two that let the visitors off the hook. The Heaton Moor back row also played the game intelligently, slowing Bedians’ ball on a couple of occasions.

To compound the failure to score, a missed Bedians’ tackle moments before half time allowed Heaton Moor to break up the pitch from their own half, and to work the ball to their pacy winger, who was able to beat Bedians’ players for pace and touch down for a try under the posts, which was converted.

Bedians turned round at half time ruing their missed chances, and although apprehensive that their domination of the first half had not yielded any points, must have been confident that they would be able to turn things around.

The second half was a different story however, as Heaton Moor were able to bring on a more powerful scrummager at tight head prop, who strengthened the visiting scrum appreciably, shoving Bedians back from the first scrum of the half. Perhaps taking time to recover from the shock of this, Bedians then lost their own ball at the line out, allowing Heaton Moor to attack once again from their own half. In what was almost a carbon copy of their first try, the powerful Heaton Moor centres were able to break then offload to their same quick winger who was again able to run in and score from 50 metres out.

Bedians were now forced to chase the game against a Heaton Moor side with their tails up, and who must have been puzzled to find themselves 14 points ahead. Bedians did manage to get back in the game, with full back Will Metcalf bullying through the Heaton Moor backline and touching down under the sticks, before converting his own try. Bedians were increasingly forced to take risks to score but were being pegged back in their own half as Heaton Moor were able to gain ground in the three quarters, before their fly half kicked through for territory. Before long Heaton Moor worked a third try leaving Bedians with too much to do. Captain Vince Betty charged over the try line from a quickly taken tapped penalty, however this proved to be nothing more than a consolation, as the visiting side were able to add another try and a penalty goal before the end of the match.

Heaton Moor deserved their win on the day, after soaking up Bedians’ first half pressure, and scoring a couple of excellent tries from their own half. However, Bedians should be aware that with more clinical finishing and better decision making in scoring areas, they could have built an early lead from which Heaton Moor may not have been able to recover. However, after allowing Heaton Moor to turn round at half time seven points ahead, after absorbing so much pressure, the impetus was with the visitors for the second half.

Bedians travel away to a struggling Blackpool next week in an attempt to rediscover their winning ways, but after failing to wrap this game up, should take nothing at all for granted.

Old Bedians continued their unbeaten start to the season with an impressive away win against Birchfield to take them joint top of North Lancs 1, having now won their three opening league fixtures.

Birchfield took full points from their home and away games against Bedians last season, and it was clear from the opening exchanges of the game that they the home side were looking to continue the run, tearing into Bedians from the kick off. Bedians were immediately on the back foot, and within three minutes were three points down after a Birchfield drop goal.

The restart gave Bedians the chance to attack the home side however, and immediately put them under pressure, flying into the rucks and mauls, and not allowing Birchfield to settle or control possession. A clash of heads left Birchfield temporarily without their first choice second row and open side who both had to receive treatment for blood injuries. Bedians took full advantage, running the ball at the home side either through forward runners off the scrum half, with prop Olly Low and second row Simon Dorey making notable breaks, or centres Steve Kingston and Vince Betty attacking the line further out. Birchfield could do nothing in the face of the Bedians onslaught and eventually conceded a try, with back row Rob Renshaw burrowing over from short range after ten minutes.

The home side then started to argue and turn on one another as the Bedians front five turned the screw, first by winning scrumage ball against the head, as the front row of Edwards, Kerr and Low imposed themselves, then by disrupting and stealing Birchfield’s line out, with Renshaw and Coupe giving their opposition jumpers a torrid time.

Bedians saw more and more possession, and in quick succession scored two more tries, the first a scorching solo run by full back Metcalfe using his pace and power to good effect, and the second from a superb break by fly half Denton, making an impressive first team debut in the position, scored by open side Renshaw who was on hand to take a simple pass and run unopposed under the posts to take the score to 17 – 3 after twenty nine minutes.

The home side had by now lost their discipline. One player from each side was sent to the sin bin after a handbags style shoving match resulted in the referee being accidentally hit in the face by a stray arm, and while both players were still off, a second Birchfield player received a straight red for a disgraceful kick to the head of a Rob Renshaw, who was on the ground at the time. Birchfield continued in the same vein for the remainder of the match, eventually finishing with thirteen players as another of their players received a yellow card, this time for punching a prone Bedians player.

While Bedians did well not to stoop to the level of the home side, they nevertheless lost their rhythm for the remainder of the first half and much of the second. While the set piece remained solid, Bedians stopped the aggressive attacking game that had served them well in the first half, allowing Birchfield to disrupt possession, with most of the play taking place in Bedians half. Eventually the pressure told as sloppy defending left the blind side free, allowing the Birchfield winger to score almost unopposed from thirty metres out.

This managed to shock Bedians back into life, as within five minutes they scored again, with Martin Coupe crashing over from a short range penalty, which probably should have been a penalty try, as Bedians scrum half McCracken was tackled from behind without the ball after chipping over the Birchfield try line with no defenders to beat. Bedians completed the scoring a few moments later with an excellent team effort, with the forwards securing the ball and driving on from a lineout, before moving the ball through the three quarters’ hands before the last man, Australian winger Mike Gallagher, scored a fine try with a dive to the corner.

At periods during this game, particularly in the first half, Bedians looked irresistible, with excellent set piece work married to an aggressive attack, and if they manage to play this way for eighty minutes, will be a match for anyone in the league. Next up for Bedians is a home game against local rivals Heaton Moor, also with three wins from three, in what looks set to be a compelling and hard fought match, and one which Bedians can approach with every confidence.

Old Bedians continued their excellent start to the season with an impressive home win against newly promoted Garstang.

Bedians kicked off on a perfect day for rugby at Millgate Lane, looking to improve on last week’s win against Ashton. However, in the opening exchanges, Bedians looked the more nervous of the two sides, and played like the newly promoted team. They looked hesitant at the breakdown, and almost immediately conceded a penalty for offside in the ruck. Two more for the same offence quickly followed, the second of which within sight of the posts, and Garstang kicked the penalty to take an early lead.

Bedians took the chance to regroup however, and moved up the park with some impressive play, sucking in Garstang defenders at the breakdown, before spreading the ball wide and stretching the visitors by using their pace in the back line, with centres Steve Kingston and Vince Betty taking the ball on well. Garstang defended, but were on the back foot, and it was not long before Bedians scored, as veteran prop Jim O’Neill found himself on the wing after such a run of play, and showed impressive pace to round the Garstang winger to score. 

Garstang showed good spirit to fight back, but were unable to make their pressure count. Flanker Martin Coupe was imperious in the lineout, safeguarding Bedians ball and stealing several opposition throws, and number eight John Jones worked hard at the breakdown. Bedians were able to score once again before half time, after good work from the tight five players, of whom Pete Kerr and Tom Stock stood out, allowing blindside Rob Renshaw to sneak over the line from a ruck two yards out. 

Garstang refused to capitulate however, and started the second half well. Intelligent kicking allowed them to put pressure on the Bedians tryline, and eventually barged over the line from a driven lineout. Bedians hit back immediately though, with Renshaw gathering the Bedians kick off. The ball was offloaded and moved through several pairs of hands before Renshaw again was on hand to take the final pass and score. 

Bedians put the final nail in the coffin shortly afterwards, with an almost textbook try. Bedians took a lineout, drove it on ten metres moving the ball out to fly half Johnny Swift who chipped ahead. Man of the match Simon Dorey gathered the ball and fed full back Will Metcalfe to score under the posts. Metcalfe then hit his third conversion from four tries to take the game beyond the visitors. 

Bedians can be happy that after four games they remain in both cups and are second in the league, and all that without yet hitting top gear. There will undoubtedly be harder matches to come, but Bedians can face them with confidence.

Old Bedians got their league season off to an impressive start this week, overcoming a newly promoted and abrasive Ashton side and scoring four tries in the process.

Ashton kicked off and almost immediately it was clear that Bedians faced a battle up front, with Ashton quick to the breakdown and using their bigger tight five players to put early pressure on Bedians. The opening ten minutes of the game Bedians had to soak up a lot of pressure from an Ashton side keen to lay down an early marker in the league. While it looked initially like Bedians might be in for a very tough match, against the run of play, full back Loz Betty broke through the Ashton defence in his own half, and had the line and pace to touch down unimpeded under the posts.

Ashton, perhaps a little shell shocked that their early efforts had had come to nothing then floundered in the middle of the park, first losing their defensive shape to allow Bedians winger Rob Naughton to score the first of his two tries, and then their discipline, when an Ashton player was shown a red card for kicking Bedians stalwart Jim O’Neill in the head whilst he was on the floor. Bedians finished the remainder of the half on top, with Naughton adding a penalty goal to the scoring.

As in the previous two games of the season, Bedians were faced with a larger pack determined to exert pressure at the set piece and the breakdown, and, as in the two previous games Bedians’ young, spirited pack refused to let them, with back rows Renshaw and Retchen causing a nuisance in the rucks, and number eight John Jones putting in a number of crunching tackles. At the set piece, the Bedians front five secured their own line out and scrum, with the only real problems being caused by Ashton’s effective driving maul.

This was something Ashton used to good effect in the second half. Realising that the Bedians centre pairing of Vince Betty and Steve Kingston were yielding nothing in the tackle, they brought on another sizeable second row player and looked to kick for territory and drive Bedians over the line. Ashton started the half with all guns blazing, putting Bedians under pressure from a series of driven mauls. Despite a sterling defensive effort, Ashton was able to drive over Bedians line. Bedians had perhaps relaxed a little at this stage, as Ashton were then able to score an almost identical, and this time converted, try shortly afterwards, leaving the visitors only five points in front.

While Ashton scented a win, Bedians were finally shaken from their torpor, and moved up through the gears as their forwards once again started to supply good ball for the backs. Naughton contributed another try, and veteran centre Kingston was put into space after a break by the impressive Gaz Prytherch at fly half, playing his last game for the club this year.

Man of the match was Rob Naughton, who converted all tries and ended with a haul of 21 points. All in all a good first league game for Bedians, and one that sets them up well for the visit next week of Garstang.

Old Bedians 0

Oswestry 22

Bedians lost a hard fought game against a tough Oswestry side in the first round of the EDF cup, but can take a lot of positives from what will surely be one of their toughest games of the season.

Oswestry brought a physically imposing side to Didsbury, for Bedians’ second cup game in as many weeks. It was clear from the start that Oswestry were going to provide a sterner test than Carnforth the previous week.

Bedians kicked off but the ball did not travel ten metres, and in the resulting scrum Oswestry used their superior size to good effect, immediately putting Bedians’ scrum under pressure. However, as in the previous week, Bedians scrum settled down shortly after, with front rows O’Neill and Edwards, and substitute Schofield all impressive, and managing to take two balls against the head while securing all of their own.

 The opening exchanges of the game were fairly equal, with both sides testing the other’s defence in the early stages. It was Oswestry who looked the most likely to score however, being quicker to the break down and turning over a lot of Bedians’ ball as the game wore on. Bedians spent much of first half defending, and almost inevitably the strong defence was breached by an Oswestry move allowed to develop by several missed tackles, letting Oswestry in to score their first try midway through the first half.

Bedians struggles to impose themselves on the game following this, and while their defence was never less than impressive, Oswestry kept the pressure up, scoring another try and two penalties before the end of the first half.

In the second half Bedians did up their game. Peter Kerr, Paul Retchen and Martin Coupe were tireless in the tackle, and Arron Thomas was a handful for Oswestry at the breakdown. Bedians withstood a great deal of Oswestry pressure, and were camped on their line for large periods of the second half, but still had chances to score themselves. Captain Vince Betty was unlucky not to score early in the half, and Bedians were called back to be given a penalty for a late tackle against them, when the backline was almost through and an advantage would have been the fairer option.

Full back Rob Oliver, centre Will Metcalf and scrum half Steve McCracken were all impressive on the day in attack and defence, the latter pair winning joint man of the match. On the day Bedians acquitted themselves admirably against a formidable Oswestry side, with the defence in particular looking strong for large periods. If Bedians can look to start converting those scoring chances they will be well prepared for the business end of the season, starting next week at newly promoted Ashton Under Lyne.

Old Bedians overcame a spirited Carnforth side in a match played at Vale of Lune RUFC, in the first round of the Lancashire Plate. 

The opening exchanges of the game were fairly even, with both sides displaying rustiness in their first competitive games of the season. Carnforth drew first blood with a penalty for a Bedians player straying offside at a ruck. It was a marginal call but one that allowed Carnforth to take a three point lead.

Bedians struck back with some ambitious running in the backs, with returnee Steve Kingston adding power to the midfield, embarking on a series of trademark driving runs from inside centre. John Swift marshalled the three quarters well from stand off, but in the end it was the forwards who scored the first, unconverted, try, with blindside Rob Renshaw touching down from close range after an initial drive from prop Al Edwards.  

The Bedians scrum, initially under pressure, settled down after the first twenty minutes, with second row Dorey playing his first game there since the switch from the wing. The lineout, on the other hand, functioned well all game, with jumpers Renshaw and Retzin in athletic form. 

Carnforth had a limited, and appropriate in this world cup season, attack, relying on the boot of their fly half to gain territory, and then hoping Bedians would concede penalties in kickable positions. One such indiscretion allowed Carnforth to move to a one point lead at 6 – 5, at which score the teams turned round at half time.

The second half was a different story however. Bedians upped the intensity in the backs and forwards, while Carnforth tired, and their lack of pace in the backs was exposed on the enormous Vale of Lune pitch. Number eight John Jones was his usual belligerent self at the break down, ensuring Carnforth got little clean ball and second half front row replacement Andy Schofield was damaging at the set piece and the break down.  In the backs, full back Rob Oliver, returning from injury, was in scintillating form, with a number of fine breaks and a well taken score. Scrum half and man of the match Steve ‘Phil’ McCracken found more and more space to make his trademark darts from the base of the break down, scoring a fine try from the twenty two, and winger James Pay, in his final game for the club, showed typical determination with the ball in hand.