Another late blow for Bedford Town as they are held at Scarborough Athletic
A late blow in added time denied Bedford Town a win for the second time in a week, resulting in a 2-2 draw away against Scarborough Athletic in the National League North on Saturday.
Tyrone Marsh, with his 17th goal of the season, and Jago Godden’s second goal in two games gave Bedford the advantage.
In between, Harry Green scored for the home side, before Rio Allan broke the away side's hearts with a penalty conversion deep in stoppage time.
Eagles assistant boss Harry Smart said: “We defended well for long periods of the first half as we'd planned to do and grew into the game from there.
“Marshy did what he does best and takes the chances he gets so well. He creates something from nothing. And Jago took his goal brilliantly – that's two in two for him.
“We felt we started the second half strongly and we created a lot of chances in those first 15-20 minutes. But when you're on top you have to score.
“Not taking those chances put the pressure on us when the flow of the game changed and Scarborough started to attack us more.
“We defended our box so well for this period and felt relatively comfortable. Ash made some big saves and Doherty and Greg were superb.
“So the decision to bring the lad down in the 95th minute is so disappointing.
“We have a lot of young or inexperienced lads for this level and, with that, you're going to make mistakes.
“It's our job to keep developing these lads, nullify these moments and these decisions moving forward.
“It was a disappointing end to a game we felt we should have won, but it breaks the bad run of form and gives us something to go home with.”
Manager Lee Bircham made three changes to the side beaten by Darlington, with Godden making a start, and also starts for new signings, former Notts County defender Adam Chicksen, and forward Callum Ebanks, in from Buxton.
There was more good news on the player front as Carl Mensah, recovered from his injury, was included on the subs bench.
The early exchanges between the sides were cagey, but Scarborough started turning the screw as Luca Colville fired just wide.
Then from two quick free kicks, the Bedford defence held firm.
From a corner, Marsh defended for Bedford with a header away, before Green’s shot was saved by Nathan Ashmore.
In the 29th minute another header from Marsh resulted in the opening goal.
A long pass forward from Ryan Blackman saw Ryan Whitley come to the edge of his area to presumably receive a header from Jake Hull into his arms, but a miscommunication somewhere made both players leave the ball, and Marsh nipped in to nod it away from them to delicately stick the ball into the empty and gaping net.
The lead lasted just three minutes, when Green took receipt of a long diagonal pass, played inside to the edge of the area, and bobbled a low shot through the defence and into the left corner of the net.
A Bedford attack just before the half-time whistle looked to have been snuffed out after Junior Gyamfi took one touch too many and was dispossessed, but the Scarborough defence couldn’t get rid of the ball and it returned back to the Bedford captain, giving him the opportunity to shoot, but the ball went just wide.
Just 28 seconds into the second half, Bedford scored after working the ball down the right.
A throw into the area from Greg Sandiford, was flicked back to Godden from Marsh, and the midfielder took one touch before pushing the ball low across goal past three defenders and Whitley to restore the lead.
A couple of minutes on, the Eagles nearly increased the lead when Marsh sidestepped his marker in the area, shot, and saw his effort blocked, but the ball went to Ebanks, whose own effort was put off for a corner.
Two minutes later Green struck the ball from 22 yards, hitting the outside of the post.
At the other end, Josh Phillips then flashed a shot across goal and off.
A block then denied Green, and Rocco Coyle tried with the rebound, but to no avail.
With a couple of minutes remaining, Ashmore saved from Theo Chapman, then parried an Allen shot, before Chapman hit the sidenetting.
In the fifth minute of added time, Allen went on a run into the area, and it looked as though he was dispossessed by Ben Issacson.
But he went over and the referee immediately blew the whistle and pointed to the spot, despite Bedford protests.
The same player got up to dispatch the penalty, which he did by slamming it into the underside of the bar and into the net.
Bedford now have a free Saturday, but are back in league action at the Eyrie on Tuesday, 16th December, in a rearranged match against Macclesfield (7.45pm kick off).