Killer wing Adamson hunts down club record

■By ROB WILDMAN

@therugbypape

Nottingham….. 24pts

Tries: van der Flier 19, Ferreira 19, R Olowofela 44, Ramage 80

Conversions: Stronge 35, 45

Bedford Blues 34pts

Tries: Adamson 1, Fish 24, Heffernan 30, 37, Williams 58 Conversions: Maisey 24, 37, 58 Penalties: Maisey 15

BEDFORD’S prolific try-scoring wing Dean Adamson set another milestone in this victory which keeps his team on course for a top-four finish.

Adamson’s try in the first minute was his 127th try in all games for the Blues putting him in second place in the club’s alltime list. And he needs just one more score to post 100 in the Championship.

Only Derek Wyatt on 147 is ahead of Adamson who has now gone clear of other famous names in Budge Rogers and Barrie Williams who each scored 126.

Adamson struck some 43 seconds into a match which promised a lot but never delivered the quality expected. It was blown off course by a strong wind and the muddy surface.

When the wing burst clear from near his own half to finish off a counter-attack it rocked Nottingham who had chosen to use the wind first.

Bedford boss Mike Rayer, who has guided Adamson throughout his career, was fulsome in his praise for a player he describes as his team’s “talisman.”

“Deano brings great energy and is a talisman on and off the pitch. He’s now getting the recognition he deserves. It was a great try, a hell of a finish.”

Rayer thought Bedford were “good in parts” and should have managed the second half better, having turned round 27-12 up.

After Adamson’s opening try, Bedford took their chances from forward efforts which saw ex-Nottingham prop Oisin Hefferman grab two tries in between a score for hooker James Fish. Another influential player was Blues’ calm fly-half Will Maisey, also back at his old club, who kicked three conversions and a penalty.

Nottingham paid for failing to use the wind properly and giving Bedford too many easy metres. However, tries from prop Archie van der Flier and lock Seb Ferreira (his first for the club) kept Nottingham in a match that was increasingly affected by the wind.

A third try for Nottingham just after the break, Ryan Olowofela dashing onto a stray Bedford pass in midfield, cut the deficit further, Michael Stronge adding a second conversion.

Bedford showed their greater experience and strength to last out the match better and a fifth try, from substitute Robin Williams, maintained their lead. Nottingham did grab a bonus point try when Michael Ramage shot through a tired defence.

“I’m a bit frustrated,” admitted Nottingham boss Craig Hammond, who had to rejig his team because on-loan fly-half Matt Arden from Northampton was unavailable due to the Premiership club’s deal with Bedford. “I’m pleased how we did in the second half but they were a bit too good in the first half.”