Championship: Jersey 17-3 Bedford Blues

Jersey moved above Bedford in the Championship table with victory at St Peter

Jersey extended their unbeaten run to four games, as tries either side of half-time helped them to a 17-3 win over Bedford Blues.

Bedford back James Pritchard broke the deadlock halfway through the first half with a penalty, but Drew Locke's try put the islanders ahead at the break.

Second-row Pierce Phillips crashed over the line soon after the restart to extend Jersey's lead.

Aaron Penberthy's penalty completed the win to move Jersey into the top half.

It took until the 21st minute for either side to trouble the scorers, when Canadian international Pritchard stroked his straight-forward penalty between the posts.

Jersey had chances to respond, but Sami Fisilau and Locke both fumbled the ball with team-mates waiting in good positions.

The islanders did get their try though on the stroke of half-time as the ball found centre Locke on the right, and he raced through to score in the corner with the final move of the half. Penberthy's superb conversion gave his team a 7-3 advantage.

The hosts started the second period on the front foot again and thought they had their second try when a maul crashed to ground, but referee Craig Maxwell-Keys adjudged the ball had been held up.

Moments later though lock Phillips powered over the line after good work from number eight Paula Kaho at the scrum on the five-metre line.

Penberthy's conversion was good and he maintained his 100% success rate with a later penalty to open up the 17-3 lead, which Jersey maintained until the end.

The result sees the islanders leapfrog Bedford into sixth spot in the Championship table, while Blues drop into the bottom half.

Lock Pierce Phillips (bottom right) scored Jersey's second try soon after half-time in muddy conditions at St Peter

Former Jersey back Michael Le Bourgeois, the island side's first home-grown professional, was on the losing side against his old club

Jersey: Penberthy; Foster, Locke, McCrea, Otto; Robling, Fisilau; Lockwood, Garcia-Veiga, Williams, Campbell, Phillips, Rae (capt.), Hodson, Kaho.

Replacements: Lancuba, Buckle, Herriott, Graham, Noone, Glynn, Bentley.

Bedford: Kerr; Tapley, Le Bourgeois, Staff, Pritchard; Jones, Veenendaal; Moss, Harris, Boulton, Howard, Wells, Buggea, Fenton-Wells (capt.), Vandermolen.

Replacements: Clare, Williams, Currie, Gulliver, Tupai, White, Sharp.

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