Bank Holiday blank for unlucky Bedford Town
Despite a 2-1 home defeat to full time outfit, South Shields on Monday, and the undeserved 2-1 loss at Marine on Saturday, Lee Bircham’s Bedford Town can count themselves unlucky in both games over the Bank Holiday weekend.
The Bedford boss made two changes from the previous match, with Lewis Coyle and Josh Dawodu starting; the latter making his first start for side.
With a near 30 degrees temperature, both sides came out of the blocks at a pace, and Bedford won a free kick inside the first minute, but found Jasper Sheik in commanding form, as he punched the kick away.
A couple of minutes later, the visitors had their first chance with a set piece corner that Bedford defended.
Tyrone Marsh was also into the action quickly, but was denied by Robbie Tinkler’s intervention, before heading just wide of the mark from a corner.
But he wasn’t to be denied on nine minutes, when a Coyle cross resulted in Ryan Blake getting bundled over in the area, and Bedford’s top scorer added a sixth goal to the season by beating Sheik from the penalty spot, to give the home side the lead, and become the first team to score against the early pacesetters this season.
After a mid-half drinks break, the Eagles were nearly gifted a second when a back pass to Sheik caught the guardian on the wrong foot, but with no attacker to capitalise, the moment passed.
As the half wore on, South Shields turned the screw.
Dan Wilks snuffed out a cross from Rhys Walsh.
A free kick was then badly executed as the ball was crossed into the area too heavily, allowing the Eagles to defend.
The home fans thought another penalty was won with five minutes of the half left, as Marsh went sprawling from a challenge, but the referee saw different and gave a kick to South Shields and booking Marsh for simulation.
The pressure paid off for the visitors, with the equalising goal on 44 minutes, when Dan Savage’s cross from the left into the area was directed past Wilks by Cedwyn Scott.
Just before the half time whistle, South Shields used the left wing again to allow Savage a go, and Wilks defended his near post by pushing the ball round the post.
Early in the second half, Sheik cut out a Coyle cross, then two successive corners for the Mariners resulted in what would be the winning goal.
After the first one was put off, the second one had the defence wildly trying to clear, but the ball ran to Will Jenkins, on the edge of the area, and he fired home through the crowd.
Undaunted by their opponents, Bedford looked to restore parity, and Sheik became the sweeper for his side, denying Ryan Blake for Bedford’s best effort of the half, and commanding all corners of his area.
As time wore on, Wilks denied a third with a good save from Paul Blackett, with Sam Brown also making sure by clearing a corner.
As the seven minutes of added time were drawing to a close, the South Shields defence did well to clear Marsh’s wicked cross.
The last action of the game was a free kick to Bedford on the right corner of the area, prompting Wilks to join the horde. As the kick came in, Marsh rose to head, but narrowly missed the target, and the final whistle blew.
Bedford came away from the weekend with no points, but deserved more.