Setchell feels Bedford Town deserved their opening point at Stratford

Will Summerfield popped up with the equaliser in the 88th minute to earn a point from a game which Bedford had largely dominated.

And Setchell was satisfied with the work done on the club’s first game in the SPL Central.

He told Eagles TV: “I thought we dominated the game for long periods. They probably looked a bit more threatening than us in the final third but we had the lion’s share of possession and chances too.

"Our keeper has made two fantastic saves, as has their keeper, and it was a great end-to-end game where a point was probably a fair result even if both managers could feel their side could have won three.

"But we carried on the spirit from last season and everyone was excellent and gave me 110 per cent which is all you can ask from your team.

"If we can do that away from home in our first game at step three and got a point then it’s good to get that little monkey off our back and now look to getting our first win.

"We’ve done well in the face of adversity too having gone a goal down to a horrible mistake which at this level will get punished.

"If there’s one criticism today it’s that we probably didn’t work their goalkeeper enough despite getting in some good positions.”

Stratford took the lead after a loose ball was played backwards by a Bedford player and that left Josh Hawker to fire it past Alex Street.

Bedford finally got the equaliser in the 88th minute. The ball was played wide to Liam Brooks who crossed it in and after an initial shot was saved, Summerfield was on hand to put the ball in the net from the rebound.

Attention now turns to a home game with Barwell on Saturday, the Leicestershire side having been beaten 2-1 at home by Hitchin Town last weekend.

Setchell’s men then go to Kings Langley on Monday night for their second game in 48 hours.

He said: “It’s weird as we get a full week to train a couple of times and with the way the league is we then play Saturday-Monday, but it’s one of those and at Stratford the players have shown we’ve got plenty to work with.”