Survival celebrations for Bedford Town tinged with sadness as boss leaves
Bedford Town will be playing National League North football for a second successive season after their biggest Eyrie crowd of the season saw them sign off with a 1-1 draw against Scarborough Athletic on Saturday.
In what could be classed as the most successful period in the club’s history since reformation, the celebration for surviving in such a brutal division was tinged with sadness as the supporters gave a heartfelt send off to Bedford manager of the last three seasons, Lee Bircham.
It was a fitting tribute to the man who took charge of a side that had not scored in the last 12 games at the end of a relegation season to two promotions as play-off winners and champions, and then this year survivors.
Despite the distractions of the day, especially the party atmosphere inside the ground, with many supporters from both sides opting for fancy dress, there was still a football match to play, and still much at stake.
Even with a points total of 52 before the game, Bedford were still not sure of escaping the drop, and Scarborough were looking to consolidate their place in the play-offs.
The Bedford boss chose the same starting line-up that won a point at automatic promotion-chasing South Shields the previous week.
The Seadogs started the brighter with a shot in the first couple of minutes that came off the head of Ben Nugent and onto the top of the bar, giving the away side an early corner that ended with William Thornton heading wide.
Not long after, Alex Brown fired over the bar.
The Eagles weren’t lying down and Josh Castiglione surged forward along the left flank and gave the ball to Tyrone Marsh, who darted inside to the edge of the area and tried a curler that had Ryan Whitley down to save.
Bedford then countered when George Moncur ran three quarters of the pitch down the left and saw his attempted cross from the byline put off for a corner.
Scarborough put Bedford under increased pressure, but wasted a good opportunity when a free kick was awarded to them just outside the D. Although the ball was played over the Bedford wall, an away player had strayed offside.
Just after the midway point, Ryan Doherty headed a corner back into the danger area, but Whitley caught the ball, dropped it, and everyone was scrambling about to get the vital touch before a Scarborough boot cleared the danger.
Ellis Brown limped off with seven minutes left in the half, with Ryan Cole replacing him.
A minute later, Cole was involved in getting the ball to Castiglione, who cut inside the area from the left, weighed up his options and opted to curl the ball in, but it sailed just wide.
Bedford won an early corner in the second half, with Marsh heading the ball just wide when the kick came over.
T’Sharne Gallimore then nicked the ball off Luca Colville and went on a run that took him to the edge of the area, but shot a bit too high.
However, Bedford took the lead on 58 minutes when an attack down the right allowed a cross into the far post, and Sam Brown was there to head past Whitley.
As Scarborough looked for a quick equaliser they had a reasonable penalty shout when Rio Allan’s shot looked to have hit the arm of Ryan Doherty, but there was no reaction from the referee.
But the visitors did restore parity on 66 minutes when Alexander Wiles put the ball in from the left wing to Allan, and he directed his effort beyond Nathan Ashmore.
With confidence rising, Lewis Maloney then struck the ball over the bar.
With 13 minutes remaining, Junior Gyamfi had his bittersweet moment as he replaced Moncur for his 100th appearance for Bedford.
Seven minutes later, his season ended after feeling the full force of a Thornton tackle and he had to hobble off.
Scarborough looked for another way through, and just before the 90 minutes, Ashmore saved from Thornton.
Allan then went down in the area, but unlike the similar situation in the reverse fixture in December, when he did the same thing, this time the referee awarded Bedford a free kick, and gave the only yellow card of the match to Allan.
Nine minutes added time was indicated, and although there were a couple of half-hearted chances, both sides played out to win a point each, securing another season at Step 2 for Bedford, and a play-off place for Scarborough.
The Eagles still have one game yet to play, in the Bedforshire Senior Cup Final against neighbours Real Bedford. A venue and date have yet to be decided.