LONDON IRISH maintained their 100 per cent record in the Championship with a gritty 29-20 home victory over Bedford Blues.

Exiles followed up wins against title-rivals Ealing Trailfinders and Nottingham by beating Bedford in an action-packed clash at Madejski Stadium on Saturday.

Exiles had to weather some late pressure from the visitors after being reduced to 13 men in the closing stages following Harry Elrington’s yellow card and a red for TJ Ioane for a dangerous tackle.

But Declan Kidney’s Exiles held on for a bonus-point victory that leaves them third in the table behind Ealing in second and leaders Cornish Pirates, having played one fewer game.

Two tries from Tom Parton plus further scores from Stephen Myler, David Porecki and Tom Stephenson did the damage for Irish despite a strong fightback from the visitors.

Man-of-the-match Parton said: “It was a real, tough contest.

“We came out firing in the first half and executed our plan pretty well. We slipped off in the second half and if you do that against a good side like Bedford you will pay the price.

“So it was good to get the bonus point and now it’s about working on things before we go away to Coventry this weekend.”

Reading Chronicle:

Stephen Myler gets Irish going against Bedford Blues.

On his brace of tries, Parton added modestly: “All the hard work was done inside me with a couple of great carries by the forwards to give me a bit of space to dot the ball down.”

Exiles head coach Les Kiss stated: “Tom has got speed and a turn of pace and his footwork certainly challenged the opposition.

“Equally he is building a good relationship with Topsy Ojo and Luke McClean.”

Exiles Academy graduate Parton opened the scoring on 17 minutes when he collected Myler’s kick through to touch down in the corner, having initially started the move by sprinting half the length of the field.

Myler turned from provider to try scorer five minutes later when he burst through the Blues defence after Teofilo Paulo had pinched the ball at a lineout, with Myler adding the extras.

Reading Chronicle:

TJ Ioane runs at the Bedford defence.

Bedford had little answer at this stage and they fell even further behind before the half-hour mark after Parton’s second of the day.

The England age group international showed some dazzling footwork to ghost past his marker and dot down in the corner, with Myler’s conversion building a 19-0 lead.

However, the visitors quickly hit back with a their first try three minutes later, Alex Rae going over from a dominant rolling maul.

Sadly, Blues were defeat a major blow early in the second half when Camilo Parilli-Ocampo was stretchered off with a suspected broken leg.

When play resumed some 20 minutes later, some sustained Bedford pressure was rewarded with an Ed Coulson penalty to leave them 19-8 down.

Irish secure the try-bonus point in the 49th minute when Porecki touched down from the back of a driving maul.

They increased their lead to 29-8 soon after when Stephenson collected a miscued clearance on the Bedford 22 and raced over in the corner.

Reading Chronicle:

Tom Stephenson evades a tackle before touching down for Irish.

By that stage Matt Rogerson had been sinbinned for the hosts for a professional foul as Bedford went for a quick tap penalty.

The visitors reduced the arrears with a Jarad Williams try from close range, then Irish nerves were jangling when Elrington and Ioane both departed, leaving them down to 13 men.

Bedford threw everything at their hosts in the closing moments and were rewarded with an Oli Curry touchdown.

But the promotion-chasing hosts held on for the victory to maintain their winning start.

Exiles travel to Coventry this Saturday (3pm ko).

London Irish: Parton, Ojo, Macken, Stephenson (Campbell 64), McLean, Myler, Meehan (Steele 76), Reid ( Elrington 51), Porecki (Fainga'a 60), Cilliers (Hoskins 60) , Maddison (Cowan 64), Paulo, McNally ©, Ioane, Rogerson.

Bedford Blues: Lane, Davies, Elliott, Robling , Hutler , Coulson, Lennon, Parilli-Ocampo, Fields, Cooper, Taylor ©, Curry, Rae, Buggea , Williams, Clare, McCarthy, Penny, Nay, Carrick-Smith, Dickson, Green.