British and Irish Cup: Beford Blues 87 - 10 Stirling County

Published on 22/10/2012 00:22

Stirling County will be looking forward to getting back to RBS Premiership action this weekend after they were outclassed by the on-form Bedford Blues on Saturday in the British and Irish Cup.

SCORERS:

Bedford Blues: Tries: Prichard 2, Kohler 2, Baldwin 2, Fearns, Tupai, Vandermolen, Atkinson, Fox, Burke, penalty try. Cons: Prichard 11.

Stirling County; Try: Edwards. Pen: Archibald. Con: Archibald.

Head coach Graeme Young and his players are a realistic bunch and they knew before they headed down to Goldington Road that the English Championship’s unbeaten side would be a sterner test than Neath the week before. However, not even they could have expected the speed with which the hosts started in the Pool Two clash, effectively winning the match in the first half as they built up a 47-3 lead.

Mark Kohler, who was named man of the match, got the scoring underway in the second minute with a fine effort in 
the right corner. In the ninth minute County had been awarded a penalty, which centre Brian Archibald converted, but that was as good as it got for the visitors.

Blues captain James Pritchard scored his first of 32 points with a converted try in the 14th minute before Luke Baldwin, Darren Fearn, Kohler again, Paul Tupai and Joe Vandermolen all crossed for tries before the break, with Pritchard kicking well.

The English side did not take their foot off the gas after the interval, adding 40 more points, Pritchard and Baldwin getting their second tries of the day. Mark Atkinson, Darren Fox and Brendan Burke also got on the score sheet and a penalty try was also conceded.

County did manage a converted try of their own through stand-off Stuart Edwards but it was small consolation and, after a long trip home, they will need to refocus quickly ahead of their league match with Heriot’s on Saturday.

Bedford Blues: J Pritchard; M Kohler, B Burke, M Atkinson, J Bassett, J Sharp, L Baldwin; D Fearn, N Cochrane, B Cooper, P Tupai, A Rae, G Gillanders, J Vandermolen, D Fox. Subs: D Seal, P Boulton, M Howard, 19. D Barrell, S Harding, A Price, O Dodge.

Stirling County: B Addison; G Lindsay, D Gilmour, B Archibald, M Lamb; S Edwards, S Kennedy; M McDonald, A Moffat, G Mountford, R Leishman, C Deacons, A Ashe, S Swindall, R Boswell. Subs: C Hutton, R Kennedy, S Robertson, T Clarke, R Aitken, J Hope, S Gillies.