Josh Allen’s first hat trick for the club helped Real Bedford to a third consecutive victory in Southern League Premier Central as Rob Sinclair’s side ran out 4-1 winners at Banbury United on Tuesday night (23 September).
Allen’s three goals, plus one for Josh Setchell completed the perfect night for the Pirates at the Spencer Stadium in Oxfordshire as Real keep up with the early pace setters at step three.
After a tricky start to life in Southern League Premier Central, Real Bedford have now found some momentum with their third straight league victory, and one that was put on a good path inside ten minutes.
Just ninety seconds in, Ben Stevens broke clear down the left channel and bore down on goal but opted to square to Josh Setchell who tapped home the opener to begin a rampant beginning for the Pirates.
Real were two up after ten minutes with a carbon copy of the first goal but from the opposite side, as Setchell turned provider to square for Allen who duly did the rest for the first of his eventual three goals.
The second strike put Banbury on high alert, as they eventually found their way out of their own penalty area, with Peter Abimbola finding Jonathan Lawson who could only find the side netting, before Josh Flanagan headed over a Josh Alabi cross.
Aaron McCreadie’s effort was also blocked before a Luke Stokoe free kick grazed the crossbar, with Banbury fighting their way back into the clash and looking more likely to score next, which they did on the stroke of half time.
Moments after Archie Jones shot wide for the visitors, Yaw Ofosu halved the deficit; Stokoe’s free kick from the halfway line evaded everyone and found the centre half at the back post who fired home with aplomb.
McGregor heroics keep Real ahead
Banbury came out for the second half predictably on the front foot with Real keeper, Tyler McGregor called into action with two stunning saves to keep his side ahead.
First, Ofosu drew a brilliant one-handed stop from McGregor before he was forced into another flying save a minute later to deny Alex Worley from 30 yards as the Puritans pressed for an equaliser.
That equaliser never came, and their hopes were dashed on 67 minutes.
The game from here on in would turn into the Josh Allen show, as the striker latched on to a pass and strolled it round the keeper to tap into an empty net, before completing his hat trick with ten minutes remaining with a confident finish into the bottom corner.
It sealed the most confident performance at this level yet from a Real Bedford side labelled as “superb” after the game by their manager, Rob Sinclair and sees Real rise to 8th in the league table.
“It was an absolutely superb performance from the boys. We were actually disappointed with 2-1 in the first half, it probably should have been three or four.
“The way we counter attacked, both centrally and out wide was phenomenal to watch and they couldn’t live with the pace.
“When they get that goal at half-time, the momentum could swing and they had a ten minute period of pressure at the start of the half, but I’m pleased with how we put the game to bed in the end”.
The only dampener on the evening was knowing they cannot carry their momentum into Saturday; the non-league sphere was again goes into FA Cup mode, while Real Bedford’s next game is on 4 October in the FA Trophy.
They have been drawn at home against Southern League Premier Central’s bottom side, Stamford in the third qualifying round before the Pirates begin their Bedfordshire Senior Cup campaign at Creasey Park against AFC Dunstable three days later.
Their next league game is also at home to Barwell on Saturday 11 October.
