The Championship
Saturday, September 23rd 2017
Goldington Road

	Bedford Blues	38
	Bristol Rugby	61

Match Report

Will Carpenter reports from Goldington Road

Posted Saturday, September 23rd 2017 @bristolsportwkc

Report: Bedford Blues 38-61 Bristol Rugby

Saturday, September 23rd 2017

Bristol Rugby made it four wins from four in the Greene King IPA Championship with a nine-try 61-38 victory over Bedford Blues at an action-packed Goldington Road.

A hat trick from Jordan Williams, a brace for Jason Harris-Wright and further scores from Jack Lam, Sam Jeffries, Dan Thomas and Jack O’Connell saw the visitors rack up their highest ever score at Bedford and seal a third successive bonus-point win.

Bedford scored six tries of their own to earn a bonus point and take the match aggregate to an incredible 99 points, as Jordan Burns (2), Dean Adamson (2), Elliot Clements-Hill and Ollie Dodge touched down for the hosts.

What happened?

Pat Lam’s side hit top gear from the off in a devastating first half performance, with Jordan Williams cantering over after a powerful surge from Alapati Leuia on two minutes.

Jack Lam was the next to cross, taking advantage of some neat work from Joe Joyce to run in from 30 metres, before Bedford hit back through Dean Adamson’s first of the afternoon.

Jason Harris-Wright notched Bristol’s third on 12 minutes courtesy of a smart move at the lineout – and the bonus point arrived as early as the 25^th minute when Andy Uren’s snipe put Chris Vui in the clear, before the Somaon located the supporting Dan Thomas.

Adamson’s second made it 14-33 five minutes before the break, but Jack O’Connell’s 39^th-minute score – at the back of a powerful Bristol maul – soon cancelled that out.

But that wasn’t the end of the first half scoring, as Ollie Dodge pulled another back for Bedford on the stroke of half-time, to leave the visitors with a 19-point advantage at the end of a breathless 40 minutes.

Jason Harris-Wright scores Bristol Rugby's third try at Goldington Road (JMP UK).

It was more of the same after the break, as Harris-Wright collected O’Connell’s deft offload to race in from 20 metres – and Jordan Williams notched his second of the afternoon after more fine work in the loose from Joe Joyce.

Ollie Dodge pulled another back for Bedford before replacement Jordan Burns burrowed over from close range to make it 26-54 with 20 minutes still to play.

Burns then turned provider to send Elliot Clements-Hill in at the right-hand corner for Bedford’s fifth try of a quite remarkable game.

But Jordan Williams saved the best until last four minutes from time, collecting a loose kick and counter-attacking in devastating style to complete his hat trick and take Bristol past the 60-point mark.

There was still time for one more Bedford try – a 15^th of the afternoon – as Burns wriggled his way to the whitewash with the final action of an enthralling match.

Key moment:

Bristol Rugby came out the blocks at breakneck speed, scoring three tries in the first 12 minutes to take full control of this Championship clash from the off. Tries from Williams, Lam and Harris-Wright saw the visitors take a commanding lead early on - one they would only extend as the game went on.

Man of the match: Tusi Pisi

A masterful display of attacking rugby and leadership from the Samoan, who captained the side for the first time this afternoon.

The centre was instrumental in Bristol's barnstorming opening 40 minutes, spreading play beautifully with a series of pinpoint passes and neat footwork, as the visitors recorded a resounding win on the road.

Pisi was replaced on the hour mark by Mat Protheroe and received a rousing reception from the travelling Bristol faithful.

Photo of the match:

Chris Vui hurdles a Bedford defender during an impressive Bristol Rugby debut (JMP UK).

Social media post of the day:

The teams:

Bedford Blues: James Wilson, Elliot Clements-Hill, Michael Le Bourgeois (c), Ollie Dodge, Dean Adamson, Harry Sheppard, Lee Dickson; Sean McCarthy, Tom Lindsay, Alex Penny, Ed Taylor, Will Carrick-Smith, Alex Rae, Justin Blanchet, Jarad Williams.

Replacements: George Edgson, Camilo Parilli-Ocampo, Ben Cooper, Paul Tupai, Ben Adams, Jordan Burns, Rich Lane.

Bristol Rugby: Jordan Williams; Luke Morahan, Alapati Leiua, Tusi Pisi (c), David Lemi; Ian Madigan, Andy Uren; Jack O’Connell, Jason Harris-Wright, Nicky Thomas, Joe Joyce, Chris Vui, Sam Jeffries, Dan Thomas, Jack Lam.

Replacements: Ross McMillan, Tyler Gendall, Sione Faletau, Jordan Crane, Rhodri Williams, Callum Sheedy, Mat Protheroe.