Spalding RFC 10
Bedford Athletic 72
Spalding RFC’s lengthy losing streak in Midlands One East continued on Saturday as they were crushed 72-10 by Bedford Athletic in their final home game of the season.
The Memorial Field mauling makes it 25 defeats from as many games for already-relegated Town this campaign.
Ash Piccaver was back at lock for Spalding, with Jay Harwood returning at open side flanker in the absence of Liam Richardson.
Head coach Ben Williams – after playing in the unfamiliar role of fly-half – was also back in the pack at blindside flanker. In the backs, returning captain Ryan Chappell was in at fly-half, while Charlie Seconde was on the left wing.
Any hopes Spalding harboured of springing a surprise looked doomed from the very off, as Bedford scored a converted try under the posts in the third minute.
To their credit, Town responded from the restart with an excellent kick by Josh Broome. Pressure from the home forwards meant that the ball went loose – and Broome gathered it to run in under the posts.
However, he put the conversion wide.
A familiar pattern then followed, with the Spalding forwards holding their own in the scrums, although under pressure, and competing well at the breakdown.
But as soon as the ball was spread out to the Bedford backs, their experience, pace and skill told.
By half time they had added a further eight tries for a 48-5 lead, which was helped by some poor defensive tackling from the home team.
The interval gave Town the opportunity to regroup, but again an early try was leaked.
After that, a 20-minute period of play elapsed with no score as the home team dug in and competed.
In the lineout Ash Piccaver was performing well securing his own ball.
From a lineout ten metres out from the Bedford try line, Spalding successfully set up a driving maul.
Although halted from the resultant ruck, a break around the fringe saw Spalding go within two metres and a pickup and drive by Sam Cooke secured Spalding’s second try of the afternoon.
That was also unconverted.
In the last 15 minutes Bedford ran in a further three tries with fresh legs coming off the bench, as Spalding’s valiant efforts in the second half told.
Town now have just one more chance to avoid the embarrassment of going an entire season without a win (or even a draw).
They visit fellow relegated side Belgrave in their season finale on Saturday (3pm).
Spalding RFC: Waudby, Cooke, Barrett, Piccaver, Templer, H Brown, Harwood, Williams, Shields, Chappell (captain), Seconde, G Brown, Lane, Booth, Broome, Osborne and Douglas.
