Nine goals in Bedford Town's winning start to the season

Six points from opening week victories over Waltham Abbey and Harlow
Goal celebrations for Eagles in their opening day 5-2 win at Waltham Abbey         Picture: www.bedfordeagles.netGoal celebrations for Eagles in their opening day 5-2 win at Waltham Abbey         Picture: www.bedfordeagles.net
Goal celebrations for Eagles in their opening day 5-2 win at Waltham Abbey Picture: www.bedfordeagles.net

Nine goals and six points in their opening two games have given Eagles a flying start to the season.

On Saturday Bedford Town beat league newcomers Waltham Abbey 5-2, netting a handful in a convincing first half of clinical finishing.

Then on Tuesday evening in another new Pitching In Southern League Division One Central fixture, Eagles welcomed Harlow to the Eyrie and won 4-0.

And, with a few changes to the line-up, Eagles will be looking to take that form into Saturday’s Emirates FA Cup game when St Neots Town are the visitors for their preliminary round tie.

At Waltham Abbey, Connor Tomlinson opened the account, before Joe Steele and Dan Walker made it three within 22 minutes.

When Tomlinson went off injured, he was replaced by Peterborough United loanee Harmeed Ishola, who grabbed a double on his debut.

In the second half, their hosts came back, but the mountain was too high to climb and the Eagles ran out comfortable winners.

Speaking afterwards, manager Gary Setchell said: “Waltham Abbey will beat a lot of teams in this division, they showed great character but we gave them a football lesson first half,” he said.

“That 45 minutes was probably as good as I’d managed in a very long time.

“The intensity dropped second half and the lads were disappointed not to add to it. You have got to credit Waltham Abbey second half, they probably played how they wanted to in the first half, but we just didn’t let them. We pressed all over the pitch, and they didn’t know what had hit them.

“First half was a ten out of ten performance, second half probably a six, but it was a magnificent result.”

On Tuesday Craig Mackail-Smith gave Eagles a half-time lead, with Tomlinson’s goal and a brace from Walker ensuring the club’s best start to the season for many years.

Setchell said: “Harlow came here wanting to stop us playing, which they did very well first half.

“Once we got the breakthrough, we dominated the second half and most impressively our workrate has been second to none both games, we demand that from the teams and that’s a great start to the season.

“It’s early doors and in football things can change quickly, but at the minute we are enjoying it and playing some good stuff and the camaraderie in the dressing room is going to take us a long way this season.”

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