Bedford Town will join Football League clubs in the hat for the first round proper of the FA Cup, but will face another replay after a dour 0-0 stalemate against Isthmian Premier League side, Cray Wanderers.
Monday’s draw will in itself be an event that the Eagles have not been a part of for a quarter of a century, but they will once again need a midweek away victory to take their place amongst the big boys following a drab 90 minutes at The Eyrie on Saturday (17 October).
Bedford Town’s third straight home tie in the FA Cup was the latest in a favourable run that had already seen them beat King’s Lynn Town and Wingate and Finchley in getting to the fourth qualifying round for the first time in 25 years.
Cray Wanderers began their cup journey in the first qualifying round, defeating Lewes before going on to stun current National League South leaders, Maidstone United in the next stage.
A far more comfortable 3-0 victory against Chippenham Town in the third qualifying round led them to a busier than usual Eyrie, where they enjoyed far more of the positive play in what was ultimately a stalemate.
The two sides will replay on Tuesday night (20 October) at Flamingo Park in Kent.
Cray pray on Bedford Town lethargy
Clear cut chances were at a premium on an FA Cup matchday that felt more nervous than inspiring.
While it’s been 25 years since Bedford Town’s famous tie against Barry Fry’s Peterborough United, Cray have never reached the main draw, and were unlucky not to do so on Saturday as they enjoyed much the better of the 90 minutes.
However, despite periods of promising build up play, their cutting edge deserted them, while Bedford Town’s own attacking threat was arguably non-existent, with visiting goalkeeper JJ Briggs only required to make a single save.
As a result, the first half was full of promise that lacked the golden ticket.
Cray’s attacks were largely stopped by an excellent central defensive pair in Ryan Doherty and 18-year old, Alfie Thornett, while Laurie Walker was on hand to palm clear a couple of efforts from Alex Hernandez.
While a Moncur effort was disallowed after the assistant had judged the ball to be out of play in the build up, Bedford’s chances were mainly from distance, as Josh Castiglione and David Hicks missed the target with volleys.
Louie Kudiabor saw a good chance snuffed out in what was a three-minute spell of attacking verve from the Eagles, that included Briggs’ single save after a mazy run from Moncur, but still the scoreboard remained untroubled at the break.
Cagey second half
Attacking opportunities began to drift away in a second half that also remained goalless.
Again, Cray started much the better, as Sol Kader blazed an effort over the crossbar, before Thornett was forced to head clear an in-swinging corner off his own goal line.
A rare intricate move that included captain, Frankie Raymond and Hernandez was then nodded wide by Kader from a yard out in what was perhaps the game’s best chance as Cray began to turn the screw on a lethargic Eagles line up.
Ade Yusuff also ballooned a good chance over, before Walker was again called into action in palming a curling effort wide from Raymond, as the tension grew amongst the majority of the 1,283 fans inside The Eyrie.
That tension wasn’t aided by an alarming moment in which a Walker kick from his hands struck Yusuff in the back with the striker stood a few yards in front of the goalkeeper, before rolling into the net.
The referee again intervened to disallow in controversial circumstances, yet, despite their flat performance, Bedford Town did finish the game well.
Tarik Gidaree gained a lucky break down the right flank as the clock ticked into injury time, squaring the ball for Manny Duku, whose goal bound effort was excellently blocked by Crossley Lema, with home handball appeals waved away.
A series of late free kicks in dangerous positions also fell by the wayside, leaving both sides to look forward to the prospect of a replay in three days’ time, where they will know who awaits them in the first round.
The FA Cup first round draw will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 1, HBO Max and the TNT Sports YouTube channel from 6.30pm on Monday (19 October).
