Last day decider ahead as Bedford Town relegation battle goes to the wire

Eagles were hoping Hereford would not beat Marine on Tuesday night as that would have ensured survival, but the Bulls kept their hopes alive with a 2-1 win.

Bedford secured an impressive point at leaders South Shields with a 1-1 draw on Saturday to boost their own hopes and now two from six clubs will face the drop at the weekend. Of the sides below Bedford, Hereford can make themselves safe with a win over Peterborough Sports on Friday night.

Alfreton Town and Curzon Ashton, both in the drop zone, face each other and King's Lynn Town are away at high-flying Chester and Oxford City, one place and one point above Bedford, are away at Darlington.

Bedford are calling on fans to get there early for the 12.30pm kick off and be loud behind their side.

George Moncur gave Bedford a shock lead just after the hour on Saturday only to see the linesman controversially flag that an Ethna Mann effort at the death had crossed the line.

Boss Lee Bircham, who departs after Saturday’s game, said: “I can't believe 52 points is not enough to stay up. It is absolutely crazy. This league is something else.

“It's been a brilliant journey for this football club and it brought a tear to the eye to see our support at the end on Saturday. They don't realise how important they are to us.

“I am immensely proud of this football club.

“It's gone to the last game of the season and we will get the Eyrie absolutely packed for it.

“Whatever happens, this football club can be proud of what they have had on the pitch this year and what we have had in the stands. It's been a lovely story whatever the outcome.”

“We're not the greatest side, but we've got the greatest heart.

“The boys were absolutely brilliant at South Shields. We came so close before conceding that injury time goal. It was an immense performance.

“We can only dream of the choices South Shields have to pick from, but we went there and matched them.”

The Bedford boss made three changes to the starting line-up at South Shields, with Tyrone Marsh back from suspension, Ellis Brown and Greg Sandiford replacing the injured Lewis Green and Junior Gyamfi and Jevani Brown.

The start wasn’t explosive, but an early intervention from Sam Brown on a through ball, allowed the defender to push the ball up for T’Sharne Gallimore, who elected to try a long range shot, aided by the stiff breeze going down the pitch, but put it wide.

Ben Nugent then glanced a header wide following a corner.

The home side, hoping to stay top of the division, slowly piled on the pressure.

Their first corner of the match was caught by Nathan Ashmore, who a minute or so later also collected a heavy through ball.

Another corner was headed away by Jack Jenkins for Marsh, but the heavy challenge from a defender put the Bedford striker to the floor for a free kick.

A third of the way into the half, Sean McGurk raced into the area to let fly, but his effort flew just over the bar.

The same player soon tried again, with the same result.

The next attack saw a through ball to Paul Blackett, but the presence of Nugent forced a tame shot that Ashmore swept up.

As the home side kept up the pressure a nice through ball to the right byline found Sonny Finch, and he looked to take Ashmore by surprise, but could only hit the sidenetting.

A fortunate deflection then allowed Will Jenkins to shoot, and again Ashmore saved.

Marsh won a corner for Bedford after his free kick effort came off the South Shields wall, and from the kick, Robbie Tinkler nearly put the ball into his own net, but had enough momentum to clear it away. The ball was played back into the area, and Ryan Doherty’s headed went just wide.

Blackett then turned defender for the Eagles, when a shot into the crowded area was inadvertently blocked by the Mariners’ attacker.

Ashmore then saved McGurk’s angled drive at his near post, and that was it for the first half.

The pressure didn’t drop from the home side in the next 45 minutes, when inside the first minute, Nugent was heading away an early corner.

Ashmore then tipped a 22-yarder from Tinkler over the bar, then saved a shot from McGurk from the resulting corner.

The Bedford keeper then denied McGurk again, again tipping the ball over the bar.

From this corner, the home side thought they had scored when Ashmore caught it, but stumbled, forcing him to let go before the ball went over the line, with Sandiford completing the job to put the ball out.

Just after the hour, and against the run of play, the Eagles took the lead.

A long throw down the left from Sam Brown wasn’t dealt with properly by the home defence, and Ellis Brown got into the mix to get a vital ball through to George Moncur, who shrugged off Tinkler before stroking a low shot past Jasper Sheik, and into the bottom left of the net, all in front of the noisy and bouncing away fans.

The project now wasn’t to avoid defeat, but to defend a lead, which was very nearly achieved but for a contentious decision deep into added time.

Before that, though, the Bedford players dug deep to keep a clean sheet.

Ashmore, definitely man of the match, denied a Blackett header with another tip over the bar. Jenkins then tried, latching onto a half clearance, but his shot went over the bar.

Sam Brown and Ashmore then left a bouncing ball to each other that Cedwyn Scott should have picked up on, but the Bedford guardian managed to get a vital touch to the ball before it was played off for a throw.

Ashmore tipped another shot away, and Bedford only had 10 minutes plus any added time to hold on.

In their frustration, South Shields looked to have run out of ideas, and the constant pressure eased, but did not stop.

An Ashmore save five minutes later wasn’t held onto, and in clearing, there was a big shout for handball, but nothing was given.

A corner was then played out of defence by Ryan Cole to Jevani Brown, who took the ball to the corner, but couldn’t keep it there.

Seven minutes added time was indicated, and in the second of those extras, Ashmore saved a powerful shot from Finch.

However, the home side made the breakthrough to level very late.

A throw to Jenkins allowed him to twist through two defenders into the area, and square the ball for Ethan Mann to fire from close range.

Ashmore saved the ball from what looked like on the line, and although the referee didn’t whistle, or even the home players celebrate, the assistant had the flag up and indicated a goal.

The Mariners had one other chance to score, when a bullet header from Dillon Morse had Ashmore reaching up to save.

Bedford also had a chance to claim a winner at the death, when Brown found Twariq Yusuf on the right, but a defender blocked the return pass to deny Brown a run on goal.