Fast starts as table-topping Bedford Town see off old rivals Kettering Town

A crowd of 1,973 fans came through the turnstiles to witness a great game of football between these historic rivals.

Bedford stunned the Poppies with two early Bruno Andrade goals against his old club, with an invitation to reply, but instead, added a third early in the second half, before a goal was pulled back.

Kettering had an even bigger advantage in the last quarter of the game, when the Eagles were reduced to 10 men, Carl Mensah sent off for a second yellow card, having earlier played on with sustained a broken nose.

“It was a fantastic start from us,” said Bedford assistant manager Tony Joyce.

“We knew it would be a big game for both sides and the way we started was outstanding.

“Bruno was playing against his old club and he must have had a Cornetto or something before the game as some of his skills were outstanding.

“At 2-0 up it looked easy, but it wasn't as they are a good side who had a lot of possession, so I thought the way we finished the game with the 10 men was outstanding with every player putting in a shift.”

Although Eddie Panter had to sit this one out due to suspension, Elliot Simmons was back and on the subs bench after his recent car accident.

Harlain Mbayo replaced the injured Ellis Bates in defence, and Leon Lobjoit was back after suspension, at the expense of Huw Dawson.

If the crowd were expecting a cagey opening, then no one told the players, as the game started at 100mph.

Six minutes in, former Poppy Andrade latched onto a lofted header from Lobjoit, beat his marker, and smashed the ball home from just inside the right corner of the area.

Two minutes later, Kettering were stunned when their former employee punished them further, as a pass down the left from Lobjoit saw Andrade flick the ball past his marker to race into the area to put the ball past Dan Jezeph.

As expected, the visitors licked their wounds, and launched a comeback.

A corner in the 16th minute could have produced a goal, but Alex Gudger’s head back across goal was bounced into the ground by Isiah Noel-Williams, and over the bar.

It wasn’t to be Mensah’s night, as a couple of minutes later, he had to receive treatment for a suspected broken nose, but elected to play on.

Nile Ranger then had a go for Kettering, following a free kick, but his effort was hit woefully wide.

As the away side piled on the pressure, Bedford were content with countering, and just after the half hour, Jezeph saved with his legs when a shot from Lewis Hilliard looked to be going in.

Lobjoit cleared a corner off the line, and this was sandwiched between two centrally given free kicks that Kettering wasted.

Mensah received a yellow card for the second kick.

In added time, Andrade saw a header saved, and Jameson Horlick made his first real save of the night by denying Terell Pennant.

Bedford added another four minutes after the restart, when the roles were reversed, as Andrade became the provider, pushing the ball forward for Lobjoit to race onto, and Bedford’s top scorer made no mistake to give Bedford a three goal cushion.

Just before the hour mark, Kettering reduced the deficit as Devon Kelly-Evans was the recipient of a pass into the area and stroked the ball past Horlick.

The visitors threw everything at Bedford, but one counter could have produced a fourth goal, as captain Ryan Blake took the ball into the area from the left, curled it over Jezeph, but saw it hit the underside of the bar and bounce out.

Kettering came back with another free kick, and this time Horlick saved.

Mensah’s night ended in the 77th minute, after a clumsy challenge on the edge of the area earned him a second yellow, and an early bath.

A change in defence meant that Jack Davies came into the centre, and Blake took the right back role.

As expected, the Poppies piled forward, but the Bedford defence stayed solid.

Tyree Wilson flashed a low cross along the goal, but no one was there to capitalise.

The referee added 10 minutes extra.

Ranger put a header over the bar, then Horlick saved a free kick, before producing a great save from Kyle Storer.

One more shot came in for the visitors, and this went wide.

Bedford now entertain Alvechurch on Saturday (3pm).