Ekow Coker was the hero for the Eagles on a remarkable night of Southern League football which saw ten-man Bedford Town pull off a stunning 4-3 victory against Leiston at The Eyrie.
In a game that had seven goals, two red cards and a bucket load of controversy, Bedford Town are the team who come away with the spoils in a game that will remembered for a very long time.
Both sides finished the game with ten men and in a first half where Bedford Town were clinical, the game exploded into life in the second, with not one, but two highly controversial decisions from the referee turning the game on its head.
Many of the 451 fans in attendance on this Tuesday evening could have been forgiven for thinking that the game was to be a tight and cagey affair after the first quarter of an hour that saw no action apart from grappling in midfield.
The first chance of the game brought the first goal, with the referee playing a good advantage as Kyle Connolly raced clear down the left hand side, releasing Leon Lobjoit.
The striker scuffed his shot but it fell to the feet of Ryan Blake who clinically found the back of the net.
Blake could have doubled the home side’s lead soon after but his shot was blocked at the near post by Will Johnson in the Leiston goal before Ross Jarvis and Jamar Loza had the visitors’ first efforts up the other end to no avail.
Clinical Eagles establish half time lead
The chances were coming thick and fast; an excellent chest down from Blake fed Lobjoit whose volley flew wide before Leiston went straight up the other end and had two efforts saved by Nathan Macdonald in the Bedford goal.
On the half hour mark, Bedford Town did double their lead; Sam Brown played in Connolly in the left channel and his cross found Rob Howard on the six yard line to slot home his second goal in as many games.
However, just before the break, Leiston halved the deficit as Bedford Town’s defence switched off allowing Kyran Clements the freedom of Bedford in the Eagles’ area to nod home.
Straight up the other end Bedford Town went, and on the stroke of half time, they re-established their two goal cushion courtesy of a wonderful strike from Connolly that nestled in the top corner of Johnson’s goal to give Bedford Town a 3-1 half-time lead.
Two decisions change the game
Rob Hall – on as a half-time substitute for expectant father, Ryan Blake – shot wide in the early throws of the second period before the referee took centre stage.
Edward Gyamfi overran the ball slightly in midfield and while his challenge was a touch high, the red card that followed felt harsh as Lee Bircham’s side were reduced to ten men, giving Leiston a new lease of life.
Just minutes later there was more controversy as Josh Flanagan was adjudged to have fouled Ismael Fatadjo in the penalty area, despite it looking like the Leiston winger had kicked the back of Flanagan’s foot.
The penalty was given and Loza slotted it down the middle to make the scoreline 3-2.
From there, Bedford Town were on the back foot and with a formation of 5-3-1, set about defending their slender advantage for well over 30 minutes.
In truth, Leiston rarely threatened in that time; Loza scuffed another shot into the arms of Macdonald while George Quantrell volleyed a further effort wide as the clock ticked down and the Eagles, including Lobjoit deployed in defensive midfield, held on.
That was until the 89th minute when another Loza effort was blocked, but amidst shouts of handball, Quantrell was on hand to smash home and seemingly break Bedford Town hearts.
But the action was not done.
Shortly after the restart, Wyatt Hill was sent off for Leiston for a late challenge on Henry Dudley as the Bedford Town substitute looked to break clear, leaving both sides with ten men.
From that attack, the ball went out for a throw in on the near side and thanks to the Rory Delap-like throw from Sam Brown, Bedford Town were able to muster one last chance.
Brown’s long throw bounced in the Leiston penalty area and up into the aerial path of Ekow Coker who rose highest to head home, sending the Bedford Town fans behind the goal into delirium, even prompting a mini pitch invasion.
It was the final act in what was a truly sensational spectacle of non-league football.
Another man on the pitch was Lee Bircham – who, amongst the madness of injury time, was also booked – but the Bedford Town manager won’t care one jot as the three points take his team up to 7th in Southern League Premier Central, just four points off the top.
Leiston remain in 16th, one point above the drop zone.
Opinion: Eagles rise above the controversy
That Bedford Town were able to pull the game out of the fire is testament to a wonderful character that Bircham has instilled into his men.
We exist in a sport that has been consumed by what some call “the dark arts” in recent days, but Lee Bircham needn’t have required the tactics used by Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal as his team were able to find a way to win all three points.
Upon conceding a late equaliser, some were even lamenting that Bedford Town could go on to lose the game, but to their credit, upon being given the opportunity to win it, they grabbed it with both hands.
There must also be a word given to the man with the whistle, who started well in giving a very good advantage for Bedford Town’s opener but come the second half, quickly became engulfed in controversy.
Gyamfi’s red card was somewhat understandable if harsh, but the penalty decision was, unfortunately, plain bizarre. There also seemed to be an element of “making up for mistakes” when a late red card was given to Leiston.
When both sets of players, coaches and fans are booing you off the pitch at full-time, therein lies a message itself.
At the end of the day however, Bedford Town have another three points in the seventh tier bank and continue their impressive start to life in a new division.
It would be naïve to start talking about the playoffs at this stage of the season, but one thinks Bircham will be a happy chap to have taken fifteen points from his first nine fixtures at step three.
Bedford Town are back at The Eyrie on Saturday (28 September) as they host AFC Sudbury.
