LONDON Welsh have had more than their fair share of tight finishes already this season but Saturday’s top of the table offering was up there with the most nail-biting of them, as Bedford Blues came within a Jamie Lennard drop goal of snatching a dramatic victory.

Seven minutes of injury-time only heightened the drama after Alex Davies had kicked two penalties to edge Welsh into the most precarious of leads.

The fly half might have eased the already frayed nerves among the home following with two late strikes at goal, only to see one drift wide and the other come back off the post.

From the latter, the Blues broke out and it seem almost inevitable that they would engineer themselves one final opportunity – it would have been out of keeping with Welsh’s liking for late drama so far this season if they hadn’t.

But with the Exiles’ defence refusing to offer up a cheap penalty on their 22, it was left to Lennard, who enjoyed a brief loan spell at Old Deer Park last season, to try and snatch the points, as he dropped back into the pocket.

Had his drop goal attempt bisected the posts, it would have given the Blues their third win over Welsh this season, but instead the pass was far from ideal and Lennard’srushed kick skewed to the left of the posts.

Had it gone over, Welsh would have been left wondering how they’d let this one slip. Tries from Guillermo Roan and Hudson Tonga’uiha gave the home side the perfect start, and even though James Pritchard crossed, Joe Ajuwa hit straight back for the Exiles.

But the sinbinning of Roan and the penalty try which immediately followed left Welsh leading just 19-14 at half-time.

Jake Sharp closed the gap and Josh Bassett finished off a break out to see the Blues edge ahead for the first time in the game. Davies’ two penalties would ultimately prove the difference, but that would only be half the story.

From the start Welsh looked sharp, picking up from where’s left off against Plymouth. Ross’ reverse kick off was won back by Ajuwa.

The good start would not go to waste as Seb Jewell’s break was carried on by Shawn Pittman and Tonga’uiha and although Will Hurrell was denied in the corner, Roan forced his way over. Davies’ conversion hit the post.

On the front foot, only some good defence kept the Exiles from adding to their lead, but Bedford looked to have weathered the storm when Welsh were turned over just metres from the line.

The clearing box kick, however, found Ajuwa solid underneath it and one sharp offload to Ross later and it was on out wide for Welsh.

Jewell and Davies helped it on and with Hurrell fixing his man out wide, Tonga’uiha had the power and pace to beat his man and cross for Welsh’s second. Davies converted.

Bedford had yet to be seen as an attacking force but given a sniff they showed how dangerous they can be just minutes later, as scrum half Darly Veenendaal dummied and coasted through a gap.

Pritchard was in support and the pass perfectly timed to send the full back over for the Blues. Pritchard converted his own score.

Having dominated, it was a bitter pill for Welsh to swallow to look at the scoreboard and see their lead reduced to just five points, but their response would be swift.

Rob Lewis’ break took him beyond Bedford’s first line of defence, but once there the scrum half showed great awareness to float the ball out to Ajuwa, and give his winger a one-on-one.

There was only ever going to be one outcome when the powerful wing got the ball in his hands, and he brushed his man aside before touching down. Davies converted.

Welsh might have built on their lead but for accidental offside just metres short of the line, and a Bedford penalty pushed into the corner saw the action switch to the other end where a succession of penalties would eventually lead to Roan seeing yellow and referee Tim Wigglesworth awarding the visitors a penalty try

Pritchard converted and just five points separated the sides, although with the Exiles down to 14 the Blues might have gone in at least all square but for a good tackle on Pritchard by Davies, which forced the Bedford full back into touch in the corner.

Welsh escaped further damage on the scoreboard before they were restored to their full compliment, but the first points in the second half would be crucial and they went the way of the Blues as Jake Sharp, taking over the kicking duties from Pritchard, was on target.

With the away side in the ascendancy they were soon in front, although it would come from a Welsh attack. The Exiles turned the ball over on the Blues 22 and Bedfordbroke out through the dangerous Burke.

Welsh were exposed and Pritchard drew Davies before releasing Josh Bassett to race away to the line. Sharp added the extras.

The Blues seemed set to go for the jugular but errors when well placed would allow Welsh to clear their heads and work their way down field.

Ross suddenly found himself in space and Mills, Jewell and Hurrell all took it on beforeBedford were penalised in front of their own posts. Davies did the rest to land the Exiles’ first points of the half.

The arrival of Ed Jackson, Gary Johnson and Jack Moates would give Welsh a fresh injection just when they needed it, while the loss of Burke would do the opposite for the Blues.

A penalty for blocking would frustrate the Blues in the corner and Welsh made the most and breaks by Jewell and Davies set up the Welsh full back to edge the home side back in front, and we all tightened our seat belts.

Ajuwa then made something out of Davies’ grubber and a penalty gave the full back the chance to ease the tension around Old Deer Park, but his kick was wide. He got another opportunity straight from the drop out, only to this time see the ball come back off the post.

The bounce of the ball went Bedford’s way and a penalty saw the visitors take play into the Welsh half. t would be up to the Bedford pack to engineer a drop goal chance for Lennard or force a penalty. In the end it would be the former, but to the relief of the home support there was not to be one final sting in the tail.