Southern Premier

Bedford Town 3 Brackley Town 4

A series of defensive howlers from Bedford gifted visitors Brackey Town a thrilling 4-3 victory at the New Eyrie today (Monday, August 27).

Eagles mounted a valiant fightback, including a brace of centre-half Steve Gentle, but a hat-trick of errors in the Bedford defence, coupled with a dubious penalty did for the hosts.

And Bedford's woes were compounded as both Craig Grieve and winger Stuart Sinclair were forced from the field with injuries.

The Saints should have taken the lead after just six minutes. Justin Jackson raced down the right and picked picked Tom Winters at the far post, but the winger spooned his effort over the bar.

Winters fired over again moments late, but Brackley did finally take the lead on 13 minutes, courtesy of a Michael Armitt howler. A cross from the left bounced in front of Armitt and the Bedford stopper fumbled the ball at the feet of Elliot Sandy, who swept the ball into an open net.

Busy midfielder Ben Farrell's 14-minute shot was easily held, but Eagles did carve out a golden opportunity seconds later. Derwayne Stupple's superb pass found Michael Lyon, who teed up Gentle. The defender mis-hit his shot straight into the path of Ian Draycott, but the young striker's snap-shot sailed over the bar.

Worse followed for Bedford moments later when lively winger Winters broke down the left, and his 13th-minute cross-shot deflected off a Bedford defender and past the hapless Armitt.

Bedford though, dug deep, and still tried to play football in scorching conditions as they proceeded to dominate the rest of the half. Stupple shot over in the 24th-minute, but Draycott gave Eagles a lifeline with a beautifully-worked goal in the 27th-minute. Lyon's deft touch diverted the ball into the path of Draycott, who thumped his shot into the top left-hand corner from just inside the box.

Brimming with confidence the young striker almost equalised two minutes later when he turned his man on the edge of the area and unleashed another venomous shot, but Richard Knight produced an instinctive stop to preserve Brackley's lead.

Brackley clung on to half time, but it took the fired-up Eagles just seven second-half minutes to level the scores. A clever freekick was played into Lyon's feet on the edge of the area, and the industrious striker turned his man and drive for the byline, before pulling the ball back across the face of the goal for Gentle to stab home at the far post.

And Eagles almost completed an unlikely fightback moments later when Stupple broke down the right and crossed in the box. Draycott showed surprising strength to hold off his man, but Knight raced out to block his effort from point-blank range.

Having shown so much grit and determination to fight their way back into the game, Eagles were undone by a cruelly-awarded penalty on 61 minutes, when referee Mr Hair adjudged Jon Darby had handled the ball on the edge of the area. Winters made no mistake from the spot, sending Armitt the wrong way as he stroked the ball into the bottom right corner.

Bedford continued to pour forward in search of an equaliser, but left themselves exposed at the back. Sandy fired over on 64 minutes, while at the other end Lyon appeared to be pushed in the area on 81 minutes, but nothing was given.

Almost inevitable the Saints sealed victory with a quickfire break with three minutes left. Darby failed to intercept a long through ball and Sandy raced through on goal and curled a powerful effort beyond Armitt.

Much to their credit Bedford never gave up, and hit back again in the 90th minute, Gentle again stabbing home at the far post, this time from Rob Miller's freekick.

However, Bedford's brave fightback was not quite enough, and manager Stuart Bimson was left to rue his sides earlier mistakes.

Eagles: Michael Armitt, Craig Grieve (Jonathon Woolf 60), Eddie Lawley, Jon Darby, Steve Gentle, Ben Farrell, Rob Miller, Derwayne Stupple (C ), Ian Draycott, Michael Lyon, Stuart Sinclair (Luke Knight 90). Subs not used: Andrew Phillips, Shane Brown, Ross Patterson.

Saints: Richard Knight, Guy Hadland, Mick Love, Scott Hadland, Josh Green, Andy Williams, Ollie Stanbridge (Craig Farley 71), Dave Savage (C ), Justin Jackson (Danny Spencer 80), Elliot Sandy, Tom Winters. Subs not used: Martin Brown, Phil Murray, Les Hines.

Referee: N Hair.

Linesmen: A Tonks and S Swan.

Attendance: 398.

Shots on target: Bedford Town 7 Brackley Town 5.

Shots off target: Bedford Town 4 Brackley Town 6.

Woodwork: Bedford Town 0 Brackley Town 0.

Corners: Bedford Town 2 Brackley Town 4.

Freekick: Bedford Town 16 Brackley Town 12.

Off-sides: Bedford Town 3 Brackley Town 4.

T&C MoM: Michael Lyon – his never-say-die attitude almost help Bedford back from the dead.