Saturday home success over Chorley cheers Bedford Town boss Bircham
A 2-0 win at home to Chorley on Saturday was the perfect response for boss Lee Bircham from his players after the drubbing from the previous week, as the Eagles moved a bit further away from the drop zone with a more than welcome three points.
The game, which saw Nathan Ashmore back for his third stint at Bedford, saw a goal in each half ensure the win, and just as important was the tight defensive display when it was needed.
It may be hard to believe, but this was the first Saturday home win of the season in the division.
Things may have gone differently inside the first minute, though, when Chorley forced a corner, which ended with an Owen German shot that flew past the post.
The Eagles took the lead just before the half hour, as Josh Castiglione pounced on a poor clearance inside the area, following a cross from the left, and fired low to beat Urwin at the left hand post.
Just before the hour mark, Blakeman thought he had scored with a well taken and nearly foolproof free kick, on the right of the area, but Ashmore came flying over to tip the ball over the bar for a corner.
Then just after this, Bircham replaced a forward for a defender as Carl Mensah came on for Jevani Brown in an attempt to bolster the defence, but instead, 10 minutes later, Mensah turned into an attacker by doubling the home side’s lead.
Joe Payne’s long throw was headed goalwards by Mensah, blocked by Mike Calveley, and rebounded back to the substitute, and he lashed a shot across goal and in.