A seven try first half blitz from League leaders Bedford Tigers was sufficient to condemn the Roosters to a first home defeat of the season. Weakened by the absence of some key players, including Marco Rossi away on international duty, the Roosters could not get to grips with a strong and well drilled Bedford side.
With the advantage of the slope and a gusty breeze in the first half, Bedford were soon on the attack. After just five minutes prop Jamie Goss broke through some disappointing Roosters tackling to score to the left of the posts. Simon Bevan added the conversion. The Tigers soon followed this up with a second score. Stand off Dan Sharp kicked through and although Paul Houghton was not able to gather the kick at first he hacked it on and followed up his own kick to score. Bevan was again successful with the kick. A third try was soon added as the Tigers shifted the ball to the left. Dan Baroux evaded the tackle to score in the corner.
Intially shell-shocked by this onslaught the Roosters now gained some composure. Some in roads were made into the Tigers defence, notably a break where Jamie Noble was able to exploit space down the left following a scrum but was held up just short. Too often though the Roosters spilled the ball and handed the initiative back to Bedford.
The game grew increasingly niggly. Several Roosters players sustained facial injuries. Growing increasingly frustrated the Roosters conceded a penalty for a high tackle. From the tap Goss was able to walk in a simple try. This was followed by an individual try from Tigers full back Rich Sinclair who took a kick on his own 40m line, evaded some weak defence, and ran in to score under the posts. Just two minutes later, Goss completed a hat-trick after breaking a tackle 20m out.
Matters turned still worse for the Roosters one minute before half time. David Sykes who was carrying a 3 inch scar across the left eye from some unwelcome Tigers attention, tackled high with an apparent raised elbow and was sent from the field by referee David Lowe. There was just time for Bedford to score a well worked try out on the left with a good inside pass from Bevan finding Baroux in a scoring postion.
One man and 40 points to nil down, the Roosters started the second half in the worst possible fashion by putting the kick off out on the full. This quickly enabled Bedford to restablish pressure and open the second half scoring, though the final ball from Goss to hooker Nathan Reed looked well forward.
The twelve Roosters now began to dig deep. Lifted by some hard tackling from John Paxton and Michael Sykes the Roosters now forced Bedford into errors. On 58 minutes good field position was established following a penalty for lying on at the play the ball. Sykes went for the line. The ball appeared to have been stripped illegally but Dan McCormack has the presence of mind to gather in and go it in for a try. Six minutes later the Roosters again forced a penalty and Charles Paxton was able to jink over during the following set of six. Sykes added the conversion
The revival was interrupted on 65 minutes and again 5 minutes later as Houghton and Reed were gifted soft tries by a tiring Roosters defence.
A second piece of controversy followed when Bedford's Goss appeared to throw a punch at Sykes and was sin binned. The Roosters capitalised from the ensuing penalty with John Paxton surging through the Bedford tacklers to score. Another succesful kick from Sykes concluded the scoring at 16-56.
Speaking after the game Roosters assistant coach Ray Marshall was pleased with the second half effort. "In the first half we lacked discipline and were well beaten. We picked this aspect up well after half time and showed that we could compete with them. I am looking to the guys to carry on that effort in next week's game".
The Roosters are at home again next Saturday 30 June against the Greenwich Admirals. Kick off is at 2.30pm at Somersham Road, St Ives.