If ever you needed to see proof of what the Bedford Blues can do then you should have been at Goldington Road on Saturday as they swept aside Nottingham.

This fixture is always a tough, bruising affair, but the Blues simply blew their East Midlands rivals out of the water with six tries, six conversions and three penalties.

“What was pleasing today, as well as the last few games, is that we are sticking to the game plan,” said scrum half Nick Walshe after the whistle.

“We are putting teams under pressure, all areas of our game are improving and we are starting to be clinical.

“We are going through a good patch but it is down to hard work and constantly believing in our ability.”

Nottingham were guilty of giving away too many penalties in the early exchanges, but James Pritchard couldn’t find his direction on the first two attempts but it was a case of third time lucky in the 11th minute.

Referee Rowan Kitt had spoken to the captain’s twice but when John Harlock was judged to have taken a man out in the lineout the lock was on his way to the bin and Nottingham made Bedford pay.

A lineout was taken and the Green and White pack drove forward with hooker Tom Youngs popping up with the ball and Tim Taylor converted.

Bedford’s reply came quickly as Pritchard, with radar well in place, chipped over a second penalty and a try soon followed. Gregor Gillanders took in a lineout and the ball was driven forward before Dan Richmond linked up with Walshe who spotted a charging Harding and played in the flanker to score with Pritchard adding the extras.

John Johnston was sent to the bin when he went in with a shoulder following the restart and Bedford set up the attack. Another lineout saw Gillanders collect before Sam Walsh and Paul Tupai took the ball into a ruck. Walshe, Brad Davies and Myles Dorrian linked up and the Australian played a perfect grubber ball for Pritchard to chase and score before converting his effort.

Former Blues boy Ben Pienaar found himself in the bin for persistent fouls at the ruck and a third Bedford try arrived and again it started from a lineout. This time it was in Bedford’s 22 with Gillanders collecting before Harding and Chris Goodman made the break up field. Six phases of play followed and Ian Davey was on hand to glide over the line with Pritchard converting for 27-7 at half time.

Nottingham knew they had to come out strong in the second half but the Blues were more than capable of stopping them and by the 48th minute the Blues had wrapped up the bonus point and it was probably fitting that Gillanders was the try scorer.

Bedford had turned over ball in their 22 and as it looked as if Ian Vass was going to punt clear he played a delightful chip over the onrushing Nottingham backs. Davey collected the ball and sent another kick forward but he couldn’t chase having been wiped out after the ball had gone. Instead it was Pritchard who collected and as the defence closed in a third chip ahead came and Gillanders was on hand to touch down and Pritchard converted.

With the game in the bag Bedford put on an entertaining display and a fifth try soon followed. Another lineout deep in Nottingham’s 22 was driven forward and as the maul crossed the line it was prop Sam Walsh who scored and Pritchard again converted.

Bedford were reduced to 14 when Dan Richmond was binned for an infringement at the ruck and Nottingham reverted to the tried and tested sticking the ball up the jumper which produced a try for Pienaar. Pritchard added a penalty but Nottingham came back with a try from John Johnston which he quickly converted.

But as Nottingham went looking for a bonus point of their own Bedford struck again when Dorrian intercepted a pass and had a clear run on goal before sliding through the uprights to give Jake Sharp an easy conversion to wrap up a convincing victory.