A dogged Bedford performance saw the Blues pick up a good win against a tough Cornish Pirates side at Goldington Road yesterday afternoon.

The disappointment of the opening half against Exeter Chiefs last weekend was well and truly forgotten, but Bedford were made to work hard for the win and the Pirates took away a deserved losing point.

The difference between the teams at Camborne earlier in the season was only a point and things were just as tense on Saturday as the game wore on.

Chris Goodman got the Blues only try of the game, but James Pritchard was on fine form with the boot as he hit four penalties and a conversion to wrap up the win.

“I’m please on many fronts today as there were so many positives,” said director of rugby Mike Rayer after the final whistle.

“We battled hard up front, I thought we were determined, we hung in there and we squeezed the life out of them at times. We got the right response from the lads following last week.

“We are a bit disappointed that we didn’t turn our trips into their 22 in more points but these are tough games and that was a good Cornish Pirates side who were hard to break down.

“While only three points ahead it was a bit nervy but it’s better to win games like that than have them going against you.”

The Pirates got the game underway and immediately put the Blues under pressure on the try line but after turning over the ball the visitors were bundled into touch.

Goodman and Ian Vass both put in impressive early tackles to keep the Pirates at bay and Bedford worked their way up the field with a good Brad Davies kick and the follow-up by Ian Davey earned Bedford a penalty which Pritchard slotted with ease.

All of Bedford’s good work was undone seven minutes later at the lineout. Chris Locke had already overthrown one put in, but his second, aimed for Paul Tupai, had too much power and went straight through to Rob Elloway who slid over the line before Rob Cook converted.

Pritchard chipped away at the lead with a second penalty in the 14th minute after the Pirates collapsed a scrum.

Both teams were putting in a good display in the forwards and the Pirates were trying to use the Goldington Road slope to their advantage with some well placed kicks to put the heat on Locke. Thankfully the youngster appeared to have put his earlier mistake behind him and was hitting the mark.

Bedford earned another penalty in the 27th minute when the Pirate scrum went down again but Pritchard’s effort drifted wide. The Pirates made a change in the front row and from then on all looked even at the scrum.

Cook extended the Pirates lead with a great kick from 45 metres out after Bedford infringed at the lineout.

The visitors were reduced to 14 after Laurie McGlone illegally stopped a Bedford attack close to his try line. Pritchard converted the penalty but as the game went into stoppage time Cook replied with a penalty of his own to finish the half 13-9 to the Pirates.

After the break Bedford looked to put a strangle hold on the game with the slope well and truly in their favour. Forwards and backs were working in harmony as the ball was brought forward and a high tackle gave Bedford a penalty which was sent into the Pirates 22.

After the ball was collected, Nick Walshe got things rolling as Bedford strung together eight good phases of play with Sam Walsh, Vass and Luke Fielden all making ground. As the final ruck formed Alex Rae and Ben Lewitt linked well before the ball spun wide to Davey who found Goodman on the wing to go over but there was quite a debate between line judge and referee before Mr Lewis finally raised his arm to signal the try which Pritchard converted.

The Pirates Paul Devlin was carded after the try was awarded for throwing a punch during the grounding but with 14 men the Pirates still held firm.

Cook levelled the scores with a well struck penalty in the 52nd minute after Davey was forced to cling onto the ball following a devastating tackle by his opposite number Alsea Havili.

The game was effectively won in the 56th minute when Fielden was on the receiving end of a particularly high challenge. The referee brought the play back and from 40 metres out Pritchard struck the ball perfectly between the uprights.

If the Blues had lost this game then they would have looked to a move in the 58th minute which should have resulted in a try. Fielden, Pritchard, Vass, Davey and Myles Dorrian were playing the equivalent of the 1970 Brazil football team as they dance their way from one 22 to the other and as Davey took a challenge the ball came inside to Sacha Harding but the big number seven just couldn’t grasp it and the try went begging.

Thankfully the Blues didn’t lose. They continued to dominate possession but the clock ticked away and in truth both sets of fans probably went away agreeing that the result was the right one.