Conor Tee’s 37th minute strike helped Real Bedford to a tight 1-0 win against Bury Town on Tuesday night (18 November) as Real Bedford kept up the pace with unbeaten Southern League Premier Central leaders, Harborough Town.
Joey Evans and Josh Setchell goals secured a 2-0 win in the reverse fixture back in September, and the Pirates kept another clean sheet in dispatching Bury Town who continue to linger above the step three relegation zone.
After falling on penalties in the second round of the FA Trophy at Alvechurch on Saturday (15 November), Rob Sinclair’s side will have been keen to return to the winner’s enclosure quickly, and they did just enough to do that on a cold Tuesday night in Bury St Edmunds.
Read: Real Bedford crash out of the FA Trophy on penalties to Alvechurch
Both of these sides were promoted from step four last season, and the opening moments were befitting of their equal rise as both sides enjoyed periods of pressure in the early stages.
Eventual match winner, Conor Tee was the first to let fly, seeing his shot deflected wide, before Josh Allen saw an effort saved by Charlie Beckwith in the Bury goal after good work from former Bedford Town midfielder, Elliot Simmons.
The first true Bury chance saw a cross flash across the face from Mikey Davis but no blue shirt was there to meet it.
Simmons and Sam Cartwright also came close before the game’s key moment eight minutes before the half-time whistle.
One touch football from Real Bedford allowed Simmons time to lay it on a plate for Conor Tee who slotted home into the bottom corner to give the Pirates a lead to hold on to.
Going behind woke Bury up from an average first half, and they finally found their groove towards the end of the first 45 minutes, seeing several good opportunities to equalise go awry, with Real Bedford holding on to their slender advantage at the break.
Solo goal enough for Real
Further chances for Ben Stevens and Simmons the other side of half-time also went begging, but Bury chances were restricted to shots from distance, including for Jamie McGrath, as Craig King in the Real goal held on to his clean sheet.
A succession of corners with the clock in the eighties were as close as Bury could get to a leveller, and while George Quantrell struck a decent chance over King’s bar late on, all it served to do was cap a disappointing night for Bury.
Substitute, Joey Evans and Stevens also missed chances to seal it late on, but it mattered not as Real Bedford sealed a sixth straight Southern League victory to remain third in the table.
Elsewhere in the division on Tuesday night, Harborough Town maintained their unbeaten start, also winning 1-0 at Real’s next opponents, Quorn FC with a solo Connor Kennedy strike, while second placed Spalding also won 2-0 against Kettering, who are uncharacteristically struggling in 11th.
There were also victories for Worcester City and Needham Market – the latter thrashing Royston 6-1 – in and around the play-off spots as the the top eight are separated by just eight points.
Real are back at home for their next two fixtures, welcoming Quorn to the Ledger Stadium this coming Saturday (22 November) before hosting Banbury United three days later.
