Premiership Rugby Cup

Bath (31) 43

Tries: Spandler, Donoghue, Butt 2, Cowan, McConnochie, Le Roux Cons: Bailey 4

Bedford Blues (12) 26

Tries: Worley 2, Conway, Howard Cons: Maisey 3

Bath survived a second-half fightback to beat Championship side Bedford Blues 43-26 in the Premiership Rugby Cup.

Jasper Spandler was mauled over early on for Bath and the Premiership side secured a try-scoring bonus point while Bedford’s Matt Worley was in the sin bin for a 17th-minute deliberate knock-on.

Ciaran Donoghue, Will Butt and Tom Cowan all took advantage of the extra man as Bath blitzed their second-tier opponents.

But Bedford replied with the best two tries of the first half in quick succession – first Worley and Will Maisey exchanged passes before the former went over in the corner and then prop Joey Conway sprinted in under the posts thanks to Alex Woolford’s wonderful offload.

Butt grabbed a fifth Bath try a minute later after a loose Bedford pass as the hosts led 31-12 at the break.

Bedford started the second half better, and after Bath had Ethan Staddon sin-binned for illegally trying to stop a break, Joe Howard scored from the resulting penalty.

Worley went in under the posts soon after thanks to a superb break from Lucas Titherington to reduce the gap to five points before Bath’s Orlando Bailey had a try disallowed.

Back to 15 men, Bath took control as Ruaridh McConnochie jinked in following good work by Donoghue with nine minutes left before Neil Le Roux sniped in with the final play of the game.

Bath’s bonus-point win puts them four points clear of Bristol at the top of their pool while Bedford remain third place.

Bath coach Andy Robinson told BBC Radio Bristol:

“We started really well and got a really good lead at 26-0, and had another opportunity that we turned over.

“Then we allowed Bedford back into the game with our errors, last 10 minutes we finished well when we were put under a bit of pressure.

“So it’s good to see the way that we were able to stick together and win the game.

“Rugby’s a game of momentum at times, and if you don’t take your chances the opposition are going to get that belief, and credit to Bedford for the way they played the game, but also they got a bit of belief and scored a couple of really good tries.

“They’re really well coached by Mike Rayer and his team and I really enjoyed the game for a spectacle – it was a cracking game of rugby.”

Bath: Donoghue; Harris, Hennessey, Butt, McConnochie; Bailey, Carr-Smith; Cordwell, Spandler, Verden, Cuckson, Richards (capt), Staddon, Cowan, Green.

Replacements: Stewart, Kirk, Stanley, Bennett, Graham, le Roux, Emens, Parry

Yellow card: Staddon (53)

Bedford: James; Garside, Titherington, Matavesi, Worley; Maisey, Day (capt); Conway, Fish, Heffernan, Ward, Woolford, Frost, Howard, King.

Replacements: Langdon, Jack, Nonleh, Tuilagi, Arthur, Herman, Lennon, Le Bourgeois.

Yellow card: Worley (17)

Referee: Hamish Grant