Upon their much anticipated return to the Eyrie, Bedford Town breezed past Birmingham-based Redditch United 2-0 with goals in either half for Rob Howard and Leon Lobjoit.
Despite being deceptively sat in 13th after this weekend’s action, Bedford Town are now a mere two points behind the play-off spots in Southern League Premier Central.
After a near flawless start to the season, Redditch United had begun to falter in the lead up to this Saturday with two defeats in their last three in the league against fellow promotion seekers Alvechurch and Stourbridge.
To worsen matters, the Reds were knocked out of the FA Cup on Monday in a humbling 1-0 defeat to ninth tier Shifnal Town.
Bedford on the other hand have been a markedly steady side so far this campaign.
Three one-all draws in their last four games in all competitions may have had Lee Bircham somewhat concerned by his side’s inability to apply the coup de grace where needed, but on the whole they have had a better start to life at step three than many might have hoped for.
Whilst all went to plan for the Eagles in the game, one disruption that wasn’t in the script for their romantic return to the Eyrie was a bout of lashing rain just half an hour before kick off.
As aptly as it may have exemplified the need for the new all-weather pitch, it did mean a forty minute delay before kick-off.
For a minute before kick-off, football paled in to insignificance as the stadium observed a minute’s silence to honour the tragic passing of Marnie Jazz Mae Lobjoit. Our thoughts go out to Leon and his family at this time.
Bedford Town have set up a GoFundMe page with all the details here.
Almost a thousand at the Eyrie
Once the match was underway, it took Bedford just three minutes to christen the newly-laid Eyrie turf with a home goal and send the 953 fans inside The Eyrie into raptures.
It was Lobjoit who began the move on the right hand side, whipping the ball towards Blake who was lurking in the six-yard box.
Reds goalkeeper, Dale Eve, was caught in two minds and decided to punch clear. The ball fell kindly for Kyle Connolly who had the presence of mind to square it to Rob Howard for a simple finish into an empty net.
It was the start of dreams for the Eagles, but not one they managed to capitalize on in the rest of the half.
Were it not for the defensive feats of Ekow Coker – who was an omnipresent thorn in the side of Redditch’s attacking ambitions all day – Bedford may well have been pegged back.
In reality, the closest Redditch came to an equaliser was a long range sighter from their captain, Jordan Cranston.
Bedford’s only real chance to double their lead came when Ryan Blake’s low effort from the edge of the box was saved by Eve in goal for Redditch United.
The fact that the Reds had been able to deprive Bedford of any more clear cut opportunities in the first half provided some signs of encouragement for the rather limited set of travelling supporters.
Just nine minutes into the second half, any aforementioned encouragement for Redditch was all but extinguished by a second for the Eagles.
Sam Brown took his throw-in quickly to release Blake in behind Redditch’s lackadaisical defence. Blake squared it to none other than Leon Lobjoit who was in position to smash it at the open string from six yards out.
A blend of emotions descended over the ground as the ball went in, but the overriding one was joy.
Lobjoit took off his shirt to reveal touching tribute to his late daughter while the referee was greeted with a symphony of boos from the home contingent when he booked Bedford’s striker for doing just that.
With a third goal surplus to requirements for the afternoon’s work, Bedford felt comfortable just sitting in deep and seeing off any signs of a Redditch response.
Although it didn’t make for a particularly exhilarating last half hour, it does mean that the Eagles are now knocking on the door of the playoff spots amid some early season league table congestion.
After four months of reconstruction it’s two games in four days at the Eyrie with Bedford hosting Leiston in a Tuesday evening mid-table clash.
A win could see Bedford shoot as high as fourth place if results elsewhere are favourable.
