FA Trophy time for Eagles, keen to find form again

Bedford Town’s excellent Emirates FA Cup run was ended 3-1 by Welwyn Garden City at the Eyrie on Saturday.

Matty Harriott scored Eagles’ 58th-minute equaliser in the 2nd qualifying round game, after their visitors had set up a 1-0 half-time lead.

But Bedford couldn’t find a way back after City added two more goals in the 72nd and 78th minutes.

This weekend Eagles host St Neots Town in the FA Trophy before returning to Pitching In Southern League Division One Central action on Tuesday evening with a trip to second-placed Berkhamsted.

Manager Gary Setchell said his side hit the “self destruct button” too often when they were looking comfortable on the ball.

“You wouldn’t want three sloppy goals like that in ten games, let alone three in one game, so we are bitterly disappointed,” he told befordeagles.net in his post-match interview.

“We know we are down to the bare bones, but the players I am bringing in are part of the squad, they have got to be good enough to step up and compete, which we did, but the three goals were just criminal!”

He was quick not to make injuries and suspensions an excuse, but feels recent performances are suggesting something more wrong than just a blip.

“We have to address these situations as a management team, obviously by the time we go to Berko we will have a couple of injuries back which will make the squad a bit bigger, but we need to come in work hard, get our feet back on the ground, get back to what we were doing well towards back end of pre-season and the start of the season and get our season going again.”

In the same division, 11th-placed Kempston Rovers beat Didcot Town, in fifth spot, on Saturday. A 36th-minute goal by Harry Stratton ensured a half-time lead and Charlie Hayford secured the points in the 83rd.

Newcastle Town are the visitors to Hillgrounds this weekend in the FA Trophy before a return to league action at Barton Rovers on Tuesday evening.