IT has felt as if the Gods have conspired against the Cornish Pirates getting beyond the pool stages of this season's British & Irish Cup.

But despite setbacks and this final defeat, which has seen them bow out of the competition, there has been much to admire, as was again witnessed in this enthralling and exciting encounter.

On a sunny December's day at Goldington Road and in a match where the lead regularly changed hands, nine tries were scored.

There were five from Bedford and four from the Pirates, including a hat-trick for centre Tom Riley.

Both kickers, full-back James Pritchard for the hosts and fly-half Kieran Hallett for the visitors, were also exemplary.

A bright opening for the Pirates saw two penalties from Hallett give them a six point lead, before the Blues hit back on ten minutes with a try from number eight Paul Tupai, with the conversion making it 7-6.

Playing with the advantage of the slope in the first half, it was not long before the Pirates scored a try of their own as a fine break by Hallett set up Riley for his first of the afternoon.

This game always promised much, remembering too the Blues were always going to be up for this contest after being stunned three weeks previously when beaten 65-14 at the Mennaye in the Greene King IPA Championship.

Securing possession in their own half, the Blues worked the ball to speedster Pat Tapley on the wing.

For the Pirates, winger Kieran Goss saved what looked a certain try, but in halting Tapley's progress he was then yellow-carded by referee Matthew O'Grady.

Bedford welcomed the opportunity to take advantage playing against 14 men for the next ten minutes.

They impressively took it during what was a disappointing spell for the Pirates.

A Pritchard try out wide, which he also converted, put his side in front by a single point and just before Goss's return the Blues opened up an eight points gap when wing Dean Adamson finished off a fine passage of play to score a converted try.

Back to a full complement of players, the Pirates needed to stall the momentum created by the home side, so it was a little worrying when a first penalty of the match from Pritchard extended Bedford's lead.

Flanker Joe Atkinson was notably busy for the Pirates in the tackle area and just before the break a penalty award saw Hallett step forward and reduce the deficit for the half time score to read 24-16.

This was a game where the Pirates had started well but then suffered when going down to 14 men for a spell.

They had, however, also showed what they were capable of and were still very much in this contest.

A positive start to the second period had no doubt been called for, and the players quickly showed that they were keen to respond, confirmed by a great break by Goss. Support was given by strong running centre Alex Dancer and scrum-half Tom Kessell, whose pass to Riley enabled the latter to score his second converted try on 45 minutes to put the Pirates back within a point.

The first replacement of the afternoon then made an appearance in the shape of Pirate Laurie McGlone and the impact from the experienced campaigner was immediate.

The Pirates were very much back in this game as they forced Bedford into making errors.

Playing with confidence their efforts were further rewarded with a try scored wide on the left by wing Max Bodilly, with Hallett's super conversion made it 24-30.

A bonus point providing fourth try was now sought and one would materialise, but it went to Bedford, as following a catch and drive Tupai rumbled over for his second of the afternoon.

Pritchard again converted and the Blues were again in front.

Both teams were fully committed, and Bedford's replacement flanker Hayden Thompson-Stringer perhaps a little too so as an illegal tackle saw him directed to the sin bin. Hallett landed the the penalty on offer for the score to read 31-33 and now was a likely turn for the Pirates to make numerical advantage count.

There was surely every chance, but no, as a charged down kick led to a Tapley try, converted by Pritchard, who also followed up with a penalty.

This opened up an eight points gap which surely meant that a win for the Pirates was now out of their grasp.

Or was it?

Keeping positive, Kessell directed play as the Pirates probed close to Bedford's line and Riley was suddenly over for his hat-trick.

Hallett posted the conversion in a blink of an eyelid, hoping that there was still time to sneak this one in the final remaining seconds.

Unfortunately, there wasn't.

When the final whistle sounded both sides deserved praise for their efforts and it will be another of those games to stay in the memory.

BEDFORD: 15 Pritchard (c), 14 Tapley, 13 Le Bourgeois, 12 Hakalo (Staff, 63),11 Adamson,10 Sharp, 9 Veenendaal; 1 Williams (Parilli-Ocampo, 63), 2 Harris (Clare, 47), 3 Currie (Boulton, 47), 4 Wells, 5 Gulliver (Howard, 63), 6 Blanchet, 7 Buggea (Thompson-Stringer, 51), 8 Tupai.

UNUSED REP: White.

SIN-BIN: Thompson-Stringer.

TRIES: Tupai (2), Pritchard, Adamson, Tapley.

CONS: Pritchard 5/5.

PENS: Pritchard (2).

PIRATES: 15 May, 14 Goss, 13 Riley, 12 Dancer (James 74), 11 Bodilly, 10 Hallett, 9 Kessell; 1 J Andrew (Ford-Robinson 52), 2 Channon (Brooker 74), 3 Paver (Deformes 64), 4 Carrick Smith (Conlon 67), 5 Barry, 6 Morgan (c), 7 Atkinson, 8 Bolwell (McGlone, 46).

UNUSED REP: Cattle SIN-BIN: Goss.

TRIES: Riley (3), Bodilly.

CONS: Hallett 4/4.

PENS: Hallett (4).