LEEDS CARNEGIE 21 BEDFORD BLUES 17
Championship
Headingley
Sunday, January 29, 2012
3.15pm
For the third time this season, Bedford Blues returned home empty handed from a visit to Yorkshire and were left to rue a series of missed chances in the first half and poor discipline after the break for a narrow 21-17 defeat at Leeds Carnegie.
Bedford slipped a place in the Championship table following defeat at Headingley but it could have been so different had they made the most of their possession in the first half to avenge their defeat to the former Premiership side at Goldington Road in October.
There was only one team in the game in the opening 40 as the Blues put behind them a nightmare journey up the M1 that meant the game had to be delayed by 15 minutes. Leeds opened the scoring through their fullback Tommy Bell however penalties from James Pritchard and a long range effort from Jake Sharp gave Bedford a well deserved lead. In horrible conditions and on a sticky pitch, the Blues enjoyed the lion's share of possession but knock-ons at crucial stages denied them points.
When the try came it appeared as if they had missed their chance again. Scrum-half Stef Liebenberg spotted a big overlap on the blind side and fed Josh Barrett. He tried to cut inside but was tackled and his attempted offload went to the ground. However, Sharp had the great presence of mind to dive on the loose ball and flick it up to the supporting run of Ian Vass, who went over for the try. The conversion was missed by Sharp but Bedford led 11-3 at that stage.
Leeds did get a penalty back before the break but it looked as if the Blues would kick on after the break and seal the win.
Instead referee Dave Pearson, who had dropped down from the Premiership to take charge of this vital Championship clash, took umbrage with Bedford’s play at the breakdown and continually penalised them out of the game from that point onwards.
Bell kicked four consecutive penalties to edge the home side in front 18-14, just as his kicking had kept Leeds in the game at Goldington Road earlier the season. Bedford were also dealt a blow when Brendan Burke was sent to the sin-bin as a result of the flurry of penalties.
Bedford finally got a penalty within range with 13 minutes to go and Pritchard reduced the arrears to one point. However, Bell kicked a seventh and final penalty to give Leeds their winning margin.
The visitors pressed hard in the closing stages but they found themselves constantly having to attack from deep as Leeds were happy to kick for territory in the wet conditions and live off Bedford’s errors.
In the end, Bedford had to settle for a losing bonus point on a frustrating day all round. For the team however, they will take heart from their performance as they edge ever closer to the all important play-offs in three games time.
Leeds Carnegie: Bell, Blackett, Thornley, Barrow, Lucock, Ford (Barker, 57), Cliff, Denman (Lockwood, 57), Titterrell (Freer, 63), Young (Mustafa, 53), Hohneck, Denton (Pendlebury, 72), Burrows, Beck, Rowan
Replacements not used: Hemingway, Shaw
Bedford Blues: Pritchard, Kohler, Burke, Vass (Dodge, 65), Bassett, Sharp, Liebenberg (Barrell, 55), Walsh, Cochrane, Boulton, Howard, Tomes (Veenendaal, 55), Gillanders, Rae, Tupai (Fisher, 63)
Replacements not used: Locke, Lennard
Referee: Dave Pearson (RFU)
Attendance: 2,514
