Saturday, October 5, 2002

JIM Kilfoyle knows he has a fight on his hands after watching Worcester destroy Bedford with something to spare.

Rotherham's chief executive was at Sixways to witness not simply a statement of intent but rather a battering ram at the Premiership door.

Ten tries last weekend at Manchester was bettered by one in this National One mismatch but it was what Worcester didn't do that will worry the league champions.

The Warriors were so superior to another full time outfit that they only had to play sporadically to put 69 points past the former Premiership club. Indeed, the match acted as a barometer to the contrasting fortunes of the two since Bedford's fall from grace.

They were never at the races on Saturday and, the frightening part for the rest of the league is that there is clearly much more to come from the Worcester camp if they continue to progress.

Bedford came to spoil, to make it as ugly as possible and it was to Worcester's credit that they sent them packing, humiliated, after bringing absolutely nothing to the party.

Chris Hall set them on their way as early as the third minute with another example that pace and power will do for most teams at this level. Former Bedford star Ben Hinshelwood --in his favoured outside centre berth -- began the move with help from Craig Hudson before play was transferred left to right and the obliging Hall. The hooker -- back in for the clash at Manchester last weekend -- was a threat all match with some dynamic runs and support play. Craig Chalmers added the conversion and Worcester were on their way.

Hinshelwood was revelling in his lucky 13 shirt and was even given kicking responsibilities for the day to add another string to his bow. Gary Trueman, however, wasn't far behind and it was from his burst through an offside midfield that set up Duncan Roke's first try on 15 minutes. Trueman off-loaded to the full back with 20 metres to go and no-one was about to catch the former Henley flyer as he sped to the line.

Two minutes later, Hinshelwood held off his opposite number before putting in Roke for an action replay try as Bedford wilted under the sheer pace of Worcester's attack. Chalmers converted and, nine minutes later, prop Adrian Olver pounced for the fourth of the day and a real bonus for the Warriors. It was a triumph all round for the pack after Mark Gabey and Tony Windo's involvement. James Pritchard's penalty was all Bedford could muster as Worcester led 24-3 at the break.

In truth, the Warriors should have put the visitors to the sword in the opening period but became individualistic and lost cohesion in the final 20 minutes. After a half time teamtalk, however, from Andy Keast and Co, the players began the second half with a bang.

You would expect fireworks from Richard Bates and he delivered 50 seconds into the half when he raced through following good work from Olver, Trueman and Hinshelwood. It was a moment to savour for the flanker who was making his first start since a January shoulder operation.

Hinshelwood's 45-metre sprint then illustrated the gulf in class between the two sides as he ran though a dispirited defence for his first try of the match. And after turning the ball over, Gabey added to his growing influence by setting up super sub David Officer for try number seven. Good work from fellow replacement John O'Reilly -- on for the 'flu ridden Werner Swanepoel -- then put in Hinshelwood for his second before Neil Mason got in on the action with a bulldozing try.

It says something about the style which is being imprinted on the team that, after nine tries, the wingers were the last ones to score.

Nnamdi Ezulike touched down following another link up with Officer before the best of the match. Craig Hudson -- a figure who had remained on the periphery for most of the game -- then had the last word in swashbuckling style.

The 6ft 6in winger received the ball on half-way and decided enough was enough. He led the Bedford defence a merry dance before crashing through the last-ditch tackle on the line and celebrating the try in style. It was a champagne moment for the club as his team-mates surrounded the giant Kiwi after a slow start to his Sixways career.

Refreshing for Hudson but a knockout blow for Bedford in more ways than one. James Ross had scored a converted try for the Blues but it wasn't even a consolation. Chalmers hit five more conversions for the home side to record the biggest win of the season.

This game was never a matter of who would win but merely by how many. A sad indictment of a club in free-fall or a symptom of an utterly lop-sided league? Either way, in the wake of Rotherham's ton against another fallen giant Moseley, this league is more than ever about just two teams.

Worcester: Roke 8; Ezulike 6, Hinshelwood 8, Trueman 8, Hudson 6, Chalmers 6, Swanepoel 6; Windo 7, NHALL 9, Olver 8, Gabey 8, Morgan 7, Bates 8, Nias 7, Jenner 7.

Replacements: O'Reilly 7 (Swanepoel 51), Higgins, Officer 7 (Roke 42), Pearson, Lyman (Olver 74), Evans 6 (Jenner 55), Mason 7 (Bates 64).

Man of the match: Chris Hall - dynamic display from the hooker.