Match Reports are available for the games underlined below - select the report you require - or scroll down to view all reports.
Date |
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Opponent |
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Kick Off |
Result |
Pts For |
Pts A |
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Saturday |
1/9 |
A |
14.30 |
Won |
20 |
3 |
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Sunday |
9/9 |
RAF U23 |
H |
14.00 |
Cancelled |
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Monday |
10/9 |
H |
19.00 |
Lost |
8 |
36 |
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Saturday |
15/9 |
A |
15.00 |
Won |
66 |
3 |
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Sunday |
23/9 |
Leinster | H |
13.00 |
Lost |
22 |
25 |
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Saturday |
29/9 |
A |
15.00 |
Won |
26 |
0 |
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Saturday |
6/10 |
Nottingham |
A |
15.00 |
Cancelled |
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Saturday |
13/10 |
A |
14.00 |
Won |
11 |
10 |
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Saturday |
20/10 |
Stockwood Park (Cup) |
A |
15.00 |
Cancelled |
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Saturday |
27/10 |
A |
14.00 |
Lost |
0 |
16 |
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Saturday |
3/11 |
H |
14.00 |
Lost |
10 |
35 |
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Saturday |
10/11 |
A |
14.15 |
Won |
21 |
8 |
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Sunday |
18/11 |
A |
13.00 |
Won |
19 |
3 |
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Saturday |
24/11 |
H |
14.30 |
Lost |
0 |
10 |
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Saturday |
1/12 |
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Wednesday |
5/12 |
A |
19.30 |
Won | 37 |
13 |
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Saturday |
8/12 |
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Sunday |
16/12 |
Hertford |
H |
14.00 |
Cancelled |
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Saturday |
22/12 |
H |
13.00 |
Won |
27 |
7 |
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Saturday |
29/12 |
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Saturday |
5/1 |
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Saturday |
12/1 |
A |
14.15 |
Won |
10 |
0 |
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Saturday |
19/1 |
H |
17.00 |
Won |
29 |
0 |
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Saturday |
26/1 |
H |
14.00 |
Won |
75 |
10 |
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Saturday |
2/2 |
A |
14.00 | Won |
12 |
10 |
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Saturday |
9/2 |
H |
13.30 |
Won |
24 |
5 |
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Saturday |
16/2 |
Training |
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12.00 |
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Saturday |
23/2 |
A |
14.00 |
Won |
44 |
0 |
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Saturday |
1/3 |
H |
14.30 |
Won |
27 |
11 |
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Saturday |
8/3 |
H |
13.00 |
Lost |
27 |
31 |
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Saturday |
15/3 |
H |
14.00 |
Won |
98 |
8 |
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Saturday |
22/3 |
North Walsham |
A |
|
Cancelled |
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Saturday |
29/3 |
H |
15.00 |
Won |
50 |
3 |
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| Saturday | 5/4 | Training | 12.00 | ||||||
Sunday |
6/4 |
Hertford |
A |
Cancelled |
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Saturday |
12/4 |
H |
14.30 |
Won |
18 |
8 |
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Saturday |
19/4 |
Coventry |
H |
15.00 |
Cancelled |
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Saturday |
26/4 |
Leeds Tykes |
A |
14.00 |
Lost |
3 |
36 |
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Monday |
5/5 |
A |
15.00 |
Won |
33 |
16 |
Bedford Colts 33 pts: Nuneaton 16 pts:
Monday May 5th 2008:
For Video highlights see here ..... http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=MCKLD05TftY
The Blues made history at Franklin’s Gardens by becoming the first ever side to retain the National Colts Knock Out Cup by defeating Nuneaton by 33pts – 16pts. Two clubs have won the trophy twice previously; London Irish (in 1999 and 2003) and Bath (2000, 2002); but no club has ever won the trophy in consecutive years.
John Mitchell helps the Blues Colts celebrate
Blues Colts 2008
The game started with mistakes from both sides as they settled into the game before Nuneaton took an early lead with a penalty from fly half Tom Short. Bedford took the lead with a well worked try when flanker Jack Micans put in centre James Knight. Bedford put on further pressure straight from the kick off and were rewarded with a try from centre Duncan Taylor, who chased a kick ahead to touch down in the corner. Nuneaton narrowed the gap with another penalty from Short. The Blues took the game back to Nuneaton and two penalties from full back Luke Radley put Bedford 16pts – 6pts ahead at half time.
Bedford started the second half well. A further penalty from Radley made the score 19pts – 6pts before the Blues scored the try of the game 10 minutes after half time. A drive out of defence from Knight was supported by the Blues forwards who drove the ball upfield, centre Duncan Taylor fed hooker Chris Locke who broke through the Nuneaton defence. The ball was offloaded to flanker Shane Allen, taken on by Micans, and No. 8 Tom Armes who fed winger Gareth Clarke. Clarke beat his man and passed back inside to Armes to touch down under the posts. Radley converted and the Blues were 26pts – 6pts ahead. Nuneaton worked their way back into the Blues half, and with a rash of substitutions from both sides disrupting the rhythm of both teams, and Radley in the sin bin, for offside at a ruck under the posts, Nuneaton scored two late tries from Short and winger Brett Chatwin. Bedford scored again with another fine try, this time from winger David Kingsbury after the Blues had made good ground for Knight to put Kingsbury into space. Radley converted and the final score was 33pts – 16pts to the Blues.
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Knight in Defence |
Shane Allen, Denis Ormesher and Tom Williams |
Shane Allen and John Mitchell |
This was a tough game for the Blues. As holders and favorites a lot was expected of them. Nuneaton, who had lost to the Blues twice this season, are a good side and have won 26 of their 31 games this season, scoring nearly 1,000 points. They put Bedford under pressure on a number of occasions. The Blues defence was effective for most of the game, but credit must go to Nuneaton for taking advantage of Bedford when they were down to 14 men and scoring two good tries wide out.
There was a good crowd of over 2,000 to support the Colts at Franklin’s Gardens, including many of last years Cup winning squad. Tom Williams, last year’s captain, and Shane Allen, this year’s captain, are seen above at Goldington Road after the game. The Colts presented supporter John Mitchell with a framed signed photo of John with the squad, taken after the London Welsh semi-final.
Thanks must go to a long list of people who helped to make a successful season end with a trophy; Mark Alderton and Steve Guest for their support in coaching; Martin Elliott for his organization behind the scenes; our physios, Ben and Harriet, for keeping the squad fit, repairing injuries and acting as “agony aunts” to the squad; the Blues supporters who have supported the team in many of their games; Richard Siudak and Nigel Rudgard for their match day photography; Geoff Irvine, Gareth Davies and Mike Rayer for their encouragement and support over the season; the players’ parents who have been a really supportive group over the whole season; and most of all the players themselves who have offered the coaching team a whole host of challenges, and egos, to deal with but who have individually improved as players and collectively “gelled” as a squad over the season.
Bedford: Michael Skinner, Chris Locke, Jordan McIntyre, Shane Allen (capt), Carl Sudiack, Jack Miccans, Jamie Wilkins, Tom Armes; Darryl Veenendaal, Jack Hoyles; Adam Martin, Duncan Taylor, James Knight, Gareth Clarke; Luke Radley: Subs: Pat Reed, James Wright, Tom Lenton, Ollie Pickett, Tom Wilmore, David Kingsbury, Corey Hircock:
***************************************************************
Bedford Colts 18 pts: London Welsh 8 pts:
Saturday April 12th 2008:
For Match photos from Nigel Rudgard see ... here
With a crowd of around 500 the Blues Colts moved into the Final of the National Colts Knock Out Cup in a tight game against a strong London Welsh side. Ahead by 10pts - 3pts at half time the Blues, down to 13 men because of two sin binnings, put up an outstanding defensive performance to end as winners by 18pts – 8pts.
Blues Colts Squad, with supporter John Mitchell, after the London Welsh game.
London Welsh started well when their kick off was mis-fielded by the Blues allowing the Welsh to put Bedford under immediate pressure. The Welsh won a lineout and drove the Blues back, Bedford conceded a penalty and the Welsh full back Sam Katz kicked the goal to put the Welsh 3pts ahead. Bedford hit straight back when the Blues won a London Welsh scrum, No.8 Tom Armes broke and linked with flanker Jack Micans and scrum half Tom Wilmore. The Blues were held on the Welsh line, and the Welsh conceded a penalty for offside in their back line. Bedford full back Luke Radley kicked the goal to level the scores at 3pts all. The game remained evenly balanced with the Welsh pack dominating the lineout and the Blues dominating the set scrum. Bedford began to give away penalties in the contact area but Welsh were unable to convert them to points. Bedford went ahead when from a lineout Micans broke away, the ruck was won and Wilmore linked with fly half Jack Hoyles who put winger Gareth Clarke away. Clarke made good ground and popped the ball to centre James Knight to score; Radley converted. London Welsh came straight back from the kick off and attacked the Blues line. Bedford No.8 Armes was sin binned just before half time for killing the ball. The Welsh kicked the penalty into the corner to try to set up another driving lineout but the Blues defence held and the Blues went into the half time break 10pts – 3pts ahead.
Welsh attacked straight after half time and with a one man advantage began to attack through their pack with a series of pick and drives but the Blues defence held. Three minutes into the half Micans was sin binned for collapsing a driving maul close to the Blues line, and the Blues were down to 13 men. The Welsh scored a good try when England U18 winger Will Browne showed electric pace to gather a cross field kick to score in the corner; the conversion was missed; 10pts – 8pts to Bedford. Three minutes later the Blues hit back when a series of good attacks pressurized the Welsh into conceding a penalty, Radley kicked the goal; 13pts – 8pts to Bedford. The next 15 mins saw increased pressure from the Welsh who continued to attack through their pack. The time spent in training on defence now began to pay off. The Blues defence was outstanding and time after time they repelled the Welsh attack. The Blues were helped by some poor decision making from the Welsh backs, who ignored the pace they had out wide, cutting inside and attacking through their forwards. Back to 15 men the Blues began to put together some good attacks and Clarke and 2nd row Shane Allen were both pulled down short of the Welsh line. The Blues eventually got the winning score when from a lineout close to the Welsh line, the Blues attacked through their forwards and then moved the ball wide for centre Duncan Taylor to score, to make the final score 18pts – 8pts to the Blues.
Whilst a win in a very tight semi-final is to be celebrated there is a lot of hard work to be done over the next few weeks. The Blues lack of discipline conceded far too many penalties and, although the back line looked good on the break, the Blues need to be more patient and develop phases rather than forcing the pass. The Blues defence, individually and collectively, was outstanding and is a real strength of the squad.
The Blues will play Nuneaton in the final on Monday May 5th at Franklin’s Gardens. Nuneaton beat Dudley Kingswinford 14pts - 5pts in the other semi. Bedford, who won the Cup last year defeating Redruth by 30pts – 5pts, will be attempting to become the first ever side to retain the trophy. Two clubs have won the trophy twice previously; London Irish (in 1999 and 2003) and Bath (2000 and 2002); but no club has ever won the trophy in consecutive years.
Bedford: Michael Skinner, Chris Locke, Jordan McIntyre, Shane Allen (capt), Carl Sudiack, Jack Miccans, Jamie Wilkins, Tom Armes; Tom Wilmore, Jack Hoyles; David Kingsbury, Duncan Taylor, James Knight, Gareth Clarke; Luke Radley: Subs: Pat Reed, Sam Pacey, Tom Lenton, Ollie Pickett, Darryl Veenendaal, Ashley Harvey, Corey Hircock:
***************************************************************
Bedford Colts 50 pts: USA Eagles 3pts:
Saturday March 29th 2008:
Bedford were too strong for the USA National team today beating them by 50 pts - 3 pts at Goldington Road. Bedford played the open syle of game they have been developing this season and through power, pace and support were too strong for the USA. Bedford went into a half time lead with 1st half tries from Joe Allen, Shane Allen and James Knight. The Blues stretched their lead with 2nd half tries from Duncan Taylor, Ashley Harvey, James Knight and Tom Armes (2), and 5 conversions from Luke Radley.
Bedford took an early lead with a try from 2nd row Joe Allen from a driven lineout but in strong wind and rain both sides struggled initially to cope with the greasy ball. Bedford attempted to move the ball but the USA showed some good defence and put in some of the hardest hits the Blues have felt all season. The USA lineout, with captain Tim Barford prominent, began to win some good ball and put in a number of effective driving mauls. Bedford stretched their lead from a set scrum on the left they won a heel against the head, No.8 Tom Armes went blind, linked with blind side flanker Jack Micans who fed open side flanker Shane Allen for a well worked forwards’ try. Bedford’s third came just before half time when a good break from fly half Jack Wrigglesworth was taken on by centre Duncan Taylor who put in his centre colleague James Knight. USA narrowed the gap with a well taken penalty from fly half Brad Harrington to make the half time score 15pts -3pts.
Bedford turned around after half time and began to raise the tempo of the game; offloads began to find the support player and the Blues pack began to get on top. Taylor scored under the posts after a quick show of the ball and an inside break; Micans made a 40 metre break and fed the ball inside to winger Ashley Harvey to score; another break by Taylor put Knight in for his 2nd try; two fine individual tries by No.8 Armes finished the game. Full back Luke Radley converted all five 2nd half tries to make the final score 50pts – 3pts to the Blues.
“Man-of-the-Match” ? Without a doubt - Jack Micans - started at blind side flanker, moved to 2nd row and then moved to prop - yet still the most mobile Blues forward - everywhere in support - highlights being the tries he set up for his back row colleague Shane Allen in the 1st half - and winger Ashley Harvey in the 2nd half with a 40 metre break and a deft inside pass to Ash in support. With flanker Allen and No.8 Armes, a very effective back row unit. The quality of the Blues performance in very difficult conditions was good and their ability to increase the tempo of the game as it progressed showed the mental focus they are developing and the fitness level they have reached.
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