Battling Bedford Town earn vital points at AFC Telford United

“People are thinking we are written off, but those who were here today and watched that can certainly see we are not,” said assistant boss David Noble.

“When Telford went 2-1 up, for us to be half-disappointed that we have only come away with a point shows our character.

“We are absolutely delighted and it shows where we are as a club after last week's results and the sendings-off.”

Six changes were forced on the Bedford management from the previous game at Buxton.

With Ellis Brown, and Tyrone Marsh starting suspensions, T’Sharne Gallimore, and Greg Sandiford on international duty, and adding Josh Phillips and Greg Taylor to the injury list, Lewis Green was back from his loan spell at Bromsgrove Sporting, and the Eagles loaned in Jack Jenkins from FC Halifax Town and added Twariq Yusuf as a dual registered player from Milton United.

Although the home side took the game by the scruff of the neck early on, Bedford stunned everyone, except the noisy travelling contingent, by taking the lead on eight minutes.

Just before the goal, Dylan Allen-Hadley spurned a chance for Telford, as he headed a cross over the bar.

From the resulting goal kick, the Eagles went up the right wing, with George Moncur passing the ball back from the byline to Jevani Brown, on the edge of the area, and the striker curled a low shot through the defence, past Alfie Arnold, and off the right hand post, to see the ball hit the back of the net.

As Telford tried to hit back, another Bedford counter might have paid dividends when Jevani Brown threaded the ball through to Moncur, but Jordan Piggott managed to get to the ball first to deny another scoring opportunity.

The hosts upped the pressure, and the woodwork saved Bedford when a piledriver from Remi Walker crashed against the bar, and dropped down onto the line before it was scrambled away.

Allen-Hadley then forced his way through two defenders into the area before going down, but the referee was nonplussed.

Bedford were nearly overwhelmed by the attacking momentum of Telford, and defended stoutly, as the home side looked for an opening.

Midway through, Piggott was booked for simulation after bursting into the area and going down after a challenge from Sam Brown.

Telford came back, and Nathan Ashmore saved with his legs when faced with an effort from James Meddows.

Still unable to find a way through, Adan George had the next try, but put the ball wide of the mark.

Ashmore then produced a great save by twisting his body to snatch the ball off the line, when Meddows latched onto a deep cross into the area.

The pressure finally told when the home side equalised on 33 minutes, after a corner found the head of Piggott, and he directed the ball home.

Strangely enough, there wasn’t an onslaught to overturn Bedford’s opener, and for the rest of the half play was fairly even.

Ryan Cole was introduced for the second half at the expense of Zanda Siziba.

Five minutes in, Telford took the lead, when Junior Gyamfi looked to have been fouled before the ball was taken off him, and given to Alex Fletcher, just outside the D, and his shot nestled in the bottom left corner of the net.

Looking for another, a minute later Walker made room for a shot, and Ashmore saved.

Ten minutes into the half, Green was introduced for the injured Gyamfi, and was to show the away fans why he had been missed while at Bromsgrove.

Bedford had the next chance, when a forward pass from Moncur was brought down by Jevani Brown and squared across the area to Callum Ebanks, but the first time shot just cleared the bar.

Jevani Brown then fed Ebanks again, and this time he had a clear shot, albeit at an angle, but could only hit the sidenetting.

At the other end, George and Allen-Hadley both went too high with their efforts, before Bedford equalised in the 65th minute.

A clearance out of the Telford defence saw Allen-Hadley try to wrongfoot Green with a dummy, but the defender stood his ground, chested the ball down, took it a few yards, then let fly from just over 20 yards to see his shot hit the top right of the net.

Play just about equalised, and anyone could have taken the game.

George cleared the bar, again for the home side, then a Yusuf pass to Jevani Brown prompted a cross into the area for Moncur, and this one went over the bar as well.

With 10 minutes remaining, Cole’s shot was saved by Arnold, with Josh Castiglione side footing the rebound, but the ball was blocked by a defender.

Two minutes from normal time, Bedford could have stolen the points when Castiglione set up Sam Brown for a shot which was parried by Arnold into the path of Moncur, but the bounce of the ball meant the shot was snatched and flew over the bar from six yards.

Just inside added time, a wicked and angled effort from Oluwasegun Lawal was saved by Ashmore, but ricocheted off him onto Ryan Doherty and the rebounded ball landed back into the lap of the Bedford keeper.

On the cusp of the final whistle, Bedford had to endure two corners, and defended well.