With a number of enforced changes to the side, this was always expected to be an even tougher game than normal, and so it proved to be, as the hosts began with real purpose and only a fine cover tackle by skipper, Tom Bridgeman, prevented the Ath from scoring in the first couple of minutes.

It wasn't long, however, before the home side took the lead with a penalty, which was quickly cancelled out by a Joe Daniel penalty for the Blues. Both sides were cancelling each other out and scoring chances were few and far between, with the hosts dominating the set-piece, but the Blues defence and breakdown play preventing them from capitalising on this.

Daniel was wide with a couple of difficult penalty attempts, one from inside his own half, before the home side re-took the lead with a second penalty, only for the Daniel to again tie things up with a second Blues penalty.

Straight from the kick off the Blues tried to run the ball out and conceded a needless penalty for the hosts to convert and lead 9-6 at the break.

The 2nd half was much the same as the first, although Kettering did cross the whitewash only for the move to be brought back for a foot in touch earlier in the move. Then on 60 minutes, a mistake in mid-field saw the ball turned over and Bedford ran the ball 60-metres upfield to score the only try of the game, which was converted to give the hosts a 16-6 lead.

With 10 minutes remaining Daniel closed the gap with his third penalty, and hen the Blues thought they had scored again, only for another foot in touch call to bring play back. At this point, influential captain, Bridgeman, was forced to leave the field and the home side took advantage to put the Blues under severe pressure. The visitors responded and defended their line with great courage.

However, they were never able to threaten again and the scoreline remained the same to see the home side win another close encounter between these two talented sides.

The Blues will hope to have a significant number of players back in contention over the coming weeks as the next phase of league games and the cup game at ON's come around after this coming weekends break, which will make competition for places all the more interesting, starting with the home league game v Bugbrooke on 24th October.