Bedford Town captain, Ryan Blake recovered from missing a first half penalty to score one of two Bedford Town goals as the Eagles scrapped their way to a 2-1 victory at AFC Sudbury to remain top of Southern League Premier Central.
Second half strikes from Blake and Lewis Green were enough to keep Town one point ahead of AFC Telford in the seventh tier while Sudbury drop into the relegation zone.
Ryan Blake was on the scoresheet in the reverse fixture, in which Bedford Town beat their opponents 3-1, but he would have to wait until the second half to do so on this occasion, with the game’s three goals all coming in the second period.
It was Sudbury who had the best opportunity of the first half; Lewis Green’s short back pass laid it on a plate for Joe Neal who rounded Jameson Horlick, only to see his goal bound effort cleared by a back tracking Carl Mensah.
James Bradbrook was also called into action on numerous occasions, keeping out back-to-back chances for Bruno Andrade – deservedly in from the start on this occasion – as well as Blake, with the Sudbury shot stopper keeping out both.
The game changing moment came on 36 minutes when Bedford were awarded a penalty courtesy of a handball on the line by Sudbury’s Charlie Lewis who was duly sent off.
Up stepped Blake from the penalty spot, but Bradbrook was once again on hand to keep it out to cap a stellar first half performance for the home goalkeeper.
Blake makes amends
Early efforts for Andrade and eventual match winner, Green were kept out before Blake opened the deadlock on the hour mark.
Andrade, impressive again on the wing, fed in the returning Sam Brown whose cross found Blake to smash home from close range to give the visitors a deserved lead.
Sudbury’s attacks were restricted to half chances for Neal, and with less than ten minutes left on the clock, Bedford Town scored what looked to be the clincher.
A dangerous cross from Junior Gyamfi found Lewis Green after some ricochets, and the defender managed to get his shot off at the second time of asking, with Bradbrook adding a blotch to an excellent afternoon by dropping the ball over the goal line.
There was still time for Sudbury to mount a late comeback; Oliver Peters halving the deficit on 86 minutes but they were unable to find the equaliser as Bedford Town held on for a 2-1 win, their third in four games.
Next up are rivals Kettering Town, still favourites for the title despite sitting four points off the top. They are assisted by claiming four games in hand over the Eagles, and three over second-placed, Telford.
This crunch match at The Eyrie takes place under the Friday night lights on 21 February. Tickets are available here.
