Bedford staged a remarkable second-half comeback to turn what looked like a runaway Gloucester victory into a real struggle.

The home side scored three tries for a 22-point interval lead, but Bedford emerged revitalised in the second half to give them a worrying time.

With three tries apiece in the end, the real difference between the teams was Mark Mapletoft's kicking.

He was recalled at fly-half when Simon Mannix cried off with flu after being out of favour for the last five matches.

Mapletoft had a point to prove and his kicking was immaculate with four penalties and two conversions.

Gloucester's first half try-scorers were Chris Fortey, Steve Ojomoh and Chris Catling and they were 25 points clear in the early stages of the second period.

But Tony Yapp sparked the revival with Bedford's first try and, after tremendous pressure, Jimmy Richards gave them real hope with another.

Driving on in style and opening up with their backs, Dan Zaltzam produced the third Bedford touchdown.

Sam Howard converted all three but in the end Mapletoft had the last word with his penalty in the third minute of injury time.

It was always tough and Bedford's Scott Murray was sin-binned in the first-half with Gloucester captain Richard Tombs also getting the white card in the second half.

Gloucester: Catling, Johnson, Fanolua, Tombs, Lumsden, Mapletoft, Benton, Windo, Fortey, Deacon, Fidler, Cornwell, Ojomoh, Carter, Devereux Replacements: Jewell, Sanders, Kimber, Woodman, McCarthy, Sims, Glanville.

Bedford: Howard, Underwood, Murdoch, Ewans, O'Mahoney, Yapps, Harrison, Boyd, Richards, Hartland, Zaltzman, Murray, Cockle, Forster, Winters Replacements: Whetstone, Ashforth, Mainwaring, Cano, Davis, Harris, Elphick.