Real Bedford earned their second 0-0 away draw of the season against St Ives at Woodward Road on Bank Holiday Monday (25 August) in Southern League Premier Central.
48 hours after losing 2-0 at home to title favourites Kettering Town, the Pirates were once again unable to score but were able to gain a clean sheet in a tight affair.
The goalless draw leaves both sides on five points in 16th and 17th respectively.
Real Bedford started brightly; an early opportunity for Conor Tee was tipped round the post by a diving Ollie Taylor in the St Ives goal, before he was on hand to deny Isaac Galliford.
Tee had a second effort palmed away by Taylor, while shots on goal at the other end were few and far between, with Jernade Meade rolling an effort past McGregor’s post.
No way through for either side
The half-time deadlock remained so for the next forty five minutes, but Real still had the better of the chances with Joey Evans and Sam Cartwright denied in the early throws of the second half before Gibou Njie’s last ditch defending prevented a Pirates breakaway.
McGregor was eventually called into action when Liam Cross’ goal bound effort was palmed away at the near post before Amir Hadi was also denied in St Ives’ best period of the encounter.
Theo Alexandrou also had an opportunity to grab a winner but fired wide before Rob Sinclair’s men finished the better, although both Ben Stevens and substitute, Tom Hitchcock were unable to find a way through.
The league takes a back seat for the coming weekend as both sides enter the FA Cup at the first qualifying round stage.
St Ives travel to Real Bedford’s nemesis from last season, Berkhamsted who now play in Southern League Premier South, while Rob Sinclair’s side face a tough test against Southern League Premier Central leaders, Bishop’s Stortford.
They do have home advantage, with the game kicking off at 3pm on Saturday 30 August.
