Full-time: Bedford Blues 26 Reds 22.
An agonising late defeat for visitors who'd battled back from 19-8 down inside the final quarter, taking the lead with tries from Brett Herron and Conor Joyce, both converted to make it 19-22 to the Reds, before a late penalty try clinched it for the Blues - after two Jersey replacements - Sam Rodman and Graham Geldenhuys - received late yellow cards.
It was 12-8 at HT with Herron's pen and Auguy Slowik's try the source of the Reds' points., with the visitors denied another try when skipper Roy Godfrey went over but was ruled to have been held up.
A bonus point in defeat, to the team who finished 3rd in the table last season, was all Harvey Biljon's men had to show from their visit to Goldington Road.
Full report/stats - see HERE