Telford twice hit back from behind to snatch late win at Bedford Town

With the temperature dipping below zero, Bedford were eager to bounce back from a heavy defeat the previous week, and Telford hoped to keep up their away form of just one defeat in five.

Te opening exchanges were cagey, but the game opened up when Jordan Cranston’s shot was deflected away for a corner, before Ryan Blake’s snapshot from an Elliot Simmons free kick went over the bar.

Blake opened the scoring for the home side on 17 minutes as he intercepted a poor attempt at a clearance deep in the area, from Jordan Piggott. From the left side of the area, the Bedford captain took the ball and curled it across the goal and past Brandon Hall.

Not long after, the Eagles had what looked like a stonewall shout for a penalty when Eddie Panter was pushed over in the area, but the referee called simulation and gave a free kick to Telford, though didn’t book the Eagles’ attacker, as is usual.

Hall then saved a header from Lewis Green, while at the other end, James Armson’s shot was easily blocked.

Telford stormed out of the blocks at the start of the second period. Two minutes in Armson had a glorious chance, with keeper Adam Harrison out of position after an attack down the left resulted in a cross to the far post, but he skied the ball.

Telford kept up the pressure, and on 50 minutes, following some unorthodox defending from Bedford, Ricardo Dinanga took control of the ball, rounded the defence on the left, and chipped over Harrison from an angle to equalise.

Bedford steadied the ship, and regained the lead on 68 minutes when a long throw from Sam Brown found Leon Lobjoit, and the attacker wasted no time in controlling and firing past Hall.

Telford came back to equalise eight minutes later, when a flick from Dining put the ball in Matthew Stenson’s path, and the substitute made no mistake.

With five minutes to go, a corner for Telford saw Stenson powered a header home at the near post to grab the winner. Telford nearly added a fourth when a shot from Remi Walker rattled the bar.

The Eagles’next game is at St Ives Town, on Saturday (3pm).