Real Bedford’s perfect Southern League start has been dented, but a late equaliser saved a point against title rivals, Bromsgrove Sporting at the Ledger Stadium on Saturday (10 October).
Archie Jones’ leveller with seven minutes left on the clock secured a 1-1 draw against third-placed Bromsgrove, as Real stay top of Southern League Premier Central with a still unbeaten record.
Real’s focus is now entirely on promotion from Southern League Premier Central following a seven-goal thriller at National League South side, Chesham United in last week’s FA Cup third qualifying round tie.
Read: Real Bedford out of the FA Cup after seven-goal thriller at Chesham
That journey so far has been perfect. Nine wins out of nine had seen Real open up a three point advantage at the top of the step three division, but they faced their stiffest challenge yet with the visit of Bromsgrove Sporting on Saturday.
Sporting get the better of first half chances
While Real were the pre-season favourites, Bromsgrove were also up there after a summer spending spree, led by the signing of former Plymouth Argyle striker, Jake Jervis for a team managed by former Premier League goalkeeper, Tim Flowers.
The visitors started the day in third, and went toe-to-toe with Rob Sinclair’s men in what was ultimately a goalless first half.
Chris Hussey, Brad Bood and Lamin Barrow were all threatening in attack in the first quarter of an hour for the visitors without truly troubling Craig King in the Real goal, although Simeon Maye fired over from close range in the best opportunity of the half.
Real’s only real chance fell to Ben Stevens, who narrowly missed the target on the half hour mark, while Andi Thanoj going off injured on the stroke of the interval only soured Real’s first 45 minutes.
Shaw breaks the deadlock
Ten minutes into the second half, events took a turn for the worse for Rob Sinclair’s side.
Billy Shaw was the man to break the deadlock, firing home into the bottom corner for the visitors, with Real facing an end to the perfect start to their league season.
Only Sam Cartwright’s goal line clearance stopped the scoreline doubling just five minutes later, while opposite strikers in Jervis and Jordan Ponticelli traded penalty appeals to no avail.
With the clock entering the final ten minutes, the pressure was on to maintain the perfect record, and the chance to do so came in the form of first half substitute, Archie Jones.
Jones had replaced Thanoj at the end of the first half and became the beneficiary of excellent work from Mensah and Allen; the latter playing in Jones who smashed home into the bottom corner.
Chances to turn the game on its head were not coming however.
Despite the late equaliser, it was the visitors who almost snatched all three points at the death as full back Josh Dugmore struck the post, leaving both sides to settle for a point.
Real Bedford travel to Stamford next weekend, before they face another tough challenge as they welcome perhaps the Southern League’s surprise package in Bury Town to the Ledger Stadium on Tuesday, 20 October.
Bury Town are just a single point behind Real in second, and that clash will be another litmus test of Real’s title credentials ahead of a brutally busy winter.
