By Elliott Josypenko
March 29 2004

Pertemps Bees secured a top four finish with the bonus point they collected at Goldington Road but that was the only crumb of comfort that could be taken from another below-par display. The Bees scored as many tries as Bedford - four - but the difference between the sides proved the goalkicking of Bedford's former Northampton fly-half Ali Hepher who contributed 23 points.

The Bees ended the match with four wingers and two hookers on the pitch which may have confused spectators but it did not knock Bedford out of their stride.

The first of Hepher's four penalties gave Bedford an early lead which they built on with a try from former England winger Spencer Brown.
Hepher himself capitalised on some slack tackling but the Bees responded with a try from Aaaron Takarangi, his third in five games, which Mark Woodrow improved.

But it proved a shortlived respite as Hepher's accuracy and a try from Paul Saffy gave Bedford a 28-7 lead at the break which soon became 35-7 when lock Arthur Brenton crossed.

Not for the first time this season, the Bees played their best rugby when the match was lost.

Takarangi got a second, Nick Baxter scored his first league try in four months and the 126th of his career and Geoff Gregory, one of the four wingers on the pitch by the end of the game, scored the try that secured the important bonus point.