NEWPORT Gwent Dragons Premiership Select rounded off their British & Irish Cup campaign on a winning note as they edged past English Championship side Bedford Blues at Ystrad Mynach, writes Carl Field.

The game had originally been scheduled to take place at Bedwas but, with parts of the Bridge Field surface frozen, the decision was taken to shift the fixture to the 3G pitch.

With neither side able to qualify from Pool Five, the tie was a dead rubber and, in truth, was far cry from the 10-try thriller at Goldington Road back in October, when Bedford ran out 46-33 winners.

But tries in each half from hooker Ellis Shipp and back-rower Nathan Hudd, along with a conversion and a penalty from the boot of influential fly-half Arwel Robson saw the Dragons record their second win from six matches to finish third in the pool above Bedford.

It was the Dragons who scored first five minutes in through hooker Shipp following a lineout, although a tricky conversion attempt from the wide on the left was missed by Robson.

That lead stretched to 8-0 on 23 minutes with Robson booting a penalty.

However, back came Bedford with their first try of the afternoon less than two minutes later when wing Pat Tapley was sent clear down the right to touchdown, although fly-half Myles Dorrian was wide with the conversion.

The hosts went close to extending that lead before the break, with wing Dai Evans going agonisingly close to going over in the left corner only to drop the ball, while powerful number-eight Robson Blake was stopped just short as he drove for the line.

Bedford will have felt they had the better of possession in the first half without really capitalising.

However, they went in front for the first and only time in the match eight minutes after the restart with a try through wing Dean Adamson, who was on the end of a flowing team move. Dorrian converted.

But, back came the Dragons with their second try moments later, scored by Hudd with Robson converting.

Dragons PS – Tries: E Shipp, N Hudd; Con: A Robson; Pen: A Robson.

Bedford – Tries: P Tapley, D Adamson; Con: M Dorrian.

Dragons PS: J Prosser; J Rosser, C Edwards, J Dixon, D Evans (M O’Brien 65); A Robson, C Davies (capt) (O Davies 63); K Bale (J Lavender 63), E Shipp (D Harris 63), C Coleman (K Dowding 63), J Davies (H Williams 43), A Sweet, J Thomas, N Hudd (A Waite 63), R Blake.

Referee: Stuart Gaffikin (IRFU)

Argus star man: Robson Blake (Dragons)