Eagles pay the penalty late on against Potters Bar

Jon Taylor’s evolving side included former Queens Park Rangers striker Leroy Griffiths in the line-up, and there were plenty of half-chances in the first half, but neither side could make the breakthrough.

The second half didn’t see as much goalmouth action as the first 45 minutes, but made up for it with the talking points.

Eleven minutes after the break, Devante Stanley was found by a cross from the right, but couldn’t keep his half volley down.

Coming up to the midway point of the half, and the visitors had the upper hand as Eoin Casey turned and shot across goal from the right corner of the area, but was denied by a fine save from Eagles keeper Enol Ordonez Suarez.

From the resulting corner, Sean Grace flicked the ball goalwards, and Ordonez Suarez had to tip the ball over the bar this time.

The game turned in Bedford’s favour on 77 minutes, when Grace hauled Kyal McNulty down from behind, as the Bedford captain was racing forward, and received his marching orders via a second yellow card.

With the one-man advantage, Bedford came close with five minutes left, when Griffiths’ through ball was latched on to by Ben Farrell, but his shot across goal was too wide and high.

The Eagles deservedly took the lead with just three minutes of the game to play. A through ball from Farrell prompted an attempted clearance from Luke Warner-Eley that came off the back of Connor Sullivan, and Jack Goodall raced in to hit the bobbling ball across goal and in.

There was still time to add another twist to the plot, as Potters Bar were awarded a soft penalty, and Ordonez Suarez couldn’t keep the ball out as Joe Bennett scored from the spot to square the game.