Old Bedians 25 - Birchfield 21

Old Bedians entered this game on the back of good performance at high-flying Hutton, this confidence was slightly offset by the numerous unavailable players (all of course had nothing, I repeat NOTHING to do with Valentine's Day). The lads who were selected looked intent on not losing their places in the side, starting the game on the front foot, pinning the away side back in their own quarter. From an attacking lineout after 8 minutes, Bannell hit his jumper like he was to do all game, after a brief drive from the forwards scrum-half Howard fed the backs, the barnstorming Vince Betty sucked in three Birchfield defenders and when the ball came back to stand-off Gaz Prytherch his pinpoint cross field kick found winger Rob Naughton who powered over from close range out wide, 5-0. If Bedians let themselves down at all it was by letting their foot off the gas when Birchfield were there for the taking, one such lapse in concentration allowed the away side to get an overlap which they made the most off and their winger scored to level the scores. Almost immediately Bedians hit back and as a result of play being slowed down by Birchfield a penalty was awarded, Naughton struck it well to give Bedes an 8-5 lead. Unfortunately Bedians then let the Widnes side back into game once more, conceding a try that was a carbon copy of their first effort and gave them a two point lead. Bedians dominated the rest of the first half and were rewarded when a break from centre Sammy Alkhalaf was followed up by a strong hit-up from 2nd row Stu Crabb, after two tacklers finally brought the big man down Vince Betty swooped on the ball to go over under the posts, this was converted a Bedians led 15-10. The half finished after Birchfield converted a harsh penalty after Sammy A was adjudged to have been offside even though Birchfield's scrum half had been in possession of the ball for approximately 2 minutes and 12 seconds at the back of the breakdown. Half-Time 15-13.
Birchfield got their noses back in front just after the beak with another penalty but after that Bedians never looked like losing. Firstly Captain Prytherch restored Bedians' lead with a trademark sweetly-struck (for 'sweetly-struck' please picture a ball flying through the air like a bag of crisps) drop-goal. Bedians could have scored three or four more trys as they dominated possession and territory but for whatever reason (not being used to dominating a game maybe?) chances came and went. One particular example was on the back of a 70 metre, side-stepping kick return from winger Renshaw, hooker Bannell (who was superb in all else he did, taking numerous scrums against the head) decided to try to control the ball on his chest rather than catch it with the line at his mercy, it's not the first time this has happened this season either. Bedians did score one more try, after a period of pessuring the Birchfield line an attempted clearance was charged down by Mike Roberts and Ben Dawson was the fastest to react, pouncing on the loose ball over the try line. Naughton again converted and Bedes led 25-16. Birchfield grabbed a consolation try late on whilst Bedians were down to 14 men as a result of Naughton's sin-binning for slowing down a tap penalty, but Bedians finished the game where they had spent most of it, in Birchfield's 22 and on the final whistle had a try wrongly disallowed after a late flag for a phantom foot in touch from the travelling linesman.
A great victory for Bedes not only gives them a better chance of avoiding relegation but has also given the selection committee a few things to think about as players return for next week's trip to Ashton-Under-Lyne.