Bedford Town left the pitch at full-time a man up and a goal down for the third time in five games on Tuesday evening (16 December), as Macclesfield won 2-1, snatching a stoppage time winner despite their numerical disadvantage.
Including tonight’s defeat, Bircham’s side have picked up just four points from their last eight league matches, leaving them staring down the barrel of a relegation battle in the New Year.
They currently sit just three points above the drop.
One might have excused the Silkmen for being preoccupied during this match, with FA Cup and FA Trophy action awaiting them in January; however, they appeared sharp and focused, hoping to keep their unbeaten record during December intact.
It was Justin Johnson who looked the most likely for Macclesfield in the opening exchanges, as he had an excellent long-range effort saved by Nathan Ashmore in the sixth minute.
Unbeknownst to those in the ground at the time, that would be a sign of things to come from the Silkmen’s star winger.
Following a bout of early possession from Macclesfield, Bedford Town came agonsingly close to breaking the deadlock midway through the first half.
Callum Ebanks fired in a cross from the byline, and while he was searching Marsh who was waiting in the middle, the ball almost squirmed through Max Dearnley’s legs and into his own net.
Were it not for the goal-line intervention of captain Paul Dawson, the Eagles would have taken the lead.
The words “don’t concede just before half-time” are nearing on football gospel after years of repetition, however, not much could be done to stop Justin Johnson’s spectacular 43rd minute opener.
The Dutchman burst in from the left-hand side on to his favoured right foot, leaving Sandiford and Doherty in his wake before bending an inch-perfect finish past Nathan Ashmore.
While the quality of the goal didn’t reflect the mediocrity of the half as a whole, it left Bircham’s Bedford with a hill to climb in the second 45 minutes if they were to grab their first win in over a month.
Bizarre winner
10 minutes into the second half, it looked as if they were bound to do so. Hitting on the break as they so often do, Bedford found a way to unpick the Silkmen’s retreating back line via a through ball from Tyrone Marsh.
Callum Ebanks raced onto the pass and finished past Max Dearnley with aplomb to open his Eagles account, dinking the ball past Macclesfield’s number one.
The balance then swung in the way of the visitors once more, with Johnson shaving the post in an attempt to double his tally for the evening. Pressure mounted on the home side, with corners and crosses being swung towards Ahsmore’s goal every second minute.
Bedford managed to resist, even creating a few chances of their own. Gyamfi and Ebanks both came close to clinching the lead for their side in the second half, though it appeared Dearnley was not to be beaten a second time.
With just four minutes of regular time remaining, the entire complexion of the game changed. A straight red card for dissent shown to Macclesfield’s, Josh Kay put the impetus on Bedford Town to go and find a winner.
His side going a man up didn’t have the effect that manager, Lee Bircham had hoped for, as they surprisingly looked the less likely of the two sides to score in the remaining minutes.
In the second minute of added time, a rather innocuous clearance from Fensome began looping toward Nathan Ashmore’s goal unexpectedly.
Ashmore pedalled back to stop the ball going in, but could only palm it on to the woodwork and into the path of Danny Elliott, who had sniffed out the blunder and was on hand to graciously tap in the winner.
Nathan Ashmore has been superb in between the sticks since joining the Eagles, but tonight’s game is one that he will not look back upon fondly.
Bedford remain in 17th, but with a visit from playoff-chasing Marine awaiting them this Saturday (20 December), a dip into the bottom four is possible unless they can rediscover their flying form from October.
