BEDFORD ATHLETIC belied their lowly league status and a 3-18 deficit after 52 minutes to ask all kind of questions of the Fylde pack in the last 25 minutes of this National Three (North) game.

From a position of dominance, the home side lost a degree of control in the last 25 minutes although, in truth, their lead wasn't seriously threatened.

Fylde's hard working win took them to third in the division, with a game in hand. On Saturday, a Mike Scott penalty after three minutes calmed their nerves.

Scott moved the ball wide whenever he had the opportunity. And as the hard tackling Bedford backs pressed up, Scott used a number of clever kicks to turn them and give opportunities to his three quarters.

From one such grubber kick on 23 minutes, Richard Kenyon burst through the Bedford line, kicked on once more and easily won the chase to the line in the left corner. He winded himself diving on the ball and needed treatment. Scott missed the conversion attempt.

At half-time Fylde had an 11-0 lead, rather less than they deserved for a very good performance over the 40 minutes.

The second period started in much the same fashion. despite a Ron Dunne penalty on 47 minutes which opened Ath's account, Fylde were camped in the visitors' half.

From a Fylde scrummage on 51 minutes Paul Turner broke right and the ball was moved swiftly along the backline with Richard Kenyon delivering a well timed pass to put Karl Long free for his first try of the season.

Kicking from the 'wrong' side for a right footed kicker and way out on the touchline, Mike Scott drifted a beautiful kick over the bar to earn the extra points.

At 18-3 Fylde looked home and dry but things didn't work out like this. Bedford dug in gamely and took the attack to their opponents.

Some indiscipline crept into Fylde's play and they were punished for this on 60 minutes.

A needless penalty was conceded and Dunne kicked for position. Bedford won their lineout and drove over with Timani the last man up. Dunne missed the conversion but Ath's tails were up.

Bedford's backs posed little threat as centres Paul Reeves and Paul Green cut them down as they tried to break the gain line.