Colts v Bedford

A warm hospitable Bedford welcome was evident from the off, locked changing rooms meaning the visitors having to change outside on pitch side. Fortunately reasonably warm dry conditions prevailed.

Poor starts from this colts team seem a thing of the past, a knock on from the kickoff by Bedford and Kettering didn't stop going through the phases until they had breached the hosts try line, keeping good quality possession and passing until Tom Connolly was over on the right flank. 0-5 in the first few minutes and Bedford yet to have any possession.

Bedford began to gain cleaner ball after the restart was cleared and where making good yards with a big heavy rolling maul, eventually they forced over for a converted try.

Kettering continued to press and in to the second quarter forced a kickable penalty for Tareeq Manji to add the 3 points. 7:8 to the visitors.

Bedford again pressed with big drives from their lineout and eventually the Kettering defence was short of numbers allowing Bedford to cross for an unconverted try. 12:8 at half-time.

Lots of niggle ensued after the break with Bedford seeming to gain favour with the local referee and scoring a further converted try. Kettering pulled back in to the game with a 5 pointer of their own. Under the posts from Luke Conyard, cutting an angle in off the left flank after some constructive drives from the pack drew in the fringe defenders. A missed sliced conversion was rather sportingly jeered by the Bedfordshire crowd. 19:13 going in to the final quarter. Kettering still well in the game just needing a clean break. Unfortunately they where unable to create that final break and the Bedford side forced a kickable penalty of their own to deny the visitors in blue a loosing bonus point. Final score 22:13.