Rugby union: Unbeaten Wimbledon show no signs of ending fast start – with Sidcup proving the next hurdle

Leaders Wimbledon beat Bedford Athletic 53-13 in the London & SE Premier League on Saturday.

The Dons started brightly with scrum-half Blane Wilson jinking through Bedford’s defence to score after just two minutes, number 10 James Moffat converted from the touchline.

Wimbledon messed up three golden try-scoring opportunites and repeatedly let the opposition back into the game with a succession of penalties.

A Moffat penalty kick found touch deep in Bedford’s 22 and prop Jordan Saunders touched down.

Moffat’s conversion gave them a 14-13 lead. He increased that to 19-13 almost immediately with a lovely break from another successful lineout.

Wimbledon extended their lead from the second half kick off. Centre Paul Hendry made one of his incisive breaks and put pacey wing Ollie Kitto in at the corner. Two minutes later another Hendry break, covering half the length of pitch, led to a try on the other wing by Kieran Morris.

Still conceding a lot of penalties and territory it was another 20 minutes before Wimbledon took complete control.

Locks Jack Cook and Alex Campbell ruled the lineout while centres Hendry and Jack Reville – plus full-back Harry Tabb and flankers Jack Flanagan and Kain Rix – put up a brick wall defence.

Wimbledon ran in four more tries in the final quarter. Rix got the first after an inside pass from Morris to round off a fine passage of 15 man rugby.

The pack drove over for the second, with Saunders again touching down.

Moffat’s conversion made it 41-13.

Replacement hooker Callum Grant scored the next, after a Rix break and a strong run by Campbell fell just a metre short.

Two more points from Moffat made it 48-13.

Chris York deservedly scored in the corner after a quickly taken penalty and a lovely lofted pass to put the captain in the clear.

The unbeaten Dons go to fourth-placed Sidcup tomorrow.