Bedford Town secured back-to-back clean sheets for the first time in National League North this season after battling to a 0-0 stalemate at high-flying Radcliffe on Saturday (18 October).
The point keeps the Eagles above the relegation zone on 10 points, while Radcliffe remain in the middle of the play-off spots after going seven games unbeaten in the sixth tier.
After another fortnight’s rest for Lee Bircham’s men, in which there have been more incomings and outgoings in the squad, the point away from home against one of the division’s in-form teams will be a welcome one.
Billericay Town’s Ryan Blackman and another loan signing in MK Dons’ Callum Tripp are the two latest names through the Eyrie door, while Cambridge United have recalled George Hoddle from his loan spell as Bircham manages a total of seven first-teamers out injured.
Those include vice-captain, Carl Mensah as well as fellow defenders Lewis Green and Sam Brown, with longer term injuries posing problems for the Eagles manager, although a point away at Radcliffe on Saturday will help soften the blow.
Good chances for both sides go begging
The opening moments of this clash at the Neuven Stadium in Greater Manchester were dominated by the home side, who had a Jordan Hulme strike chalked off after just six minutes before Rio Clegg hit the base of Nathan Ashmore’s post.
In between those two opportunities, Leon Lobjoit almost gave the Eagles the lead, but was denied by a flying Mateusz Hewelt in the home goal.
Lobjoit was back in the thick of it on the 20-minute mark only to see his goal bound effort blocked, before the game became increasingly physical, with tackles flying in from both sides that saw Ellis Brown and Radcliffe’s, Danny Greenfield in the book.
Ashmore was called into action at the end of the first half in palming a Greenfield effort past the post, and he was in the thick of it again in saving with his legs from Clegg once more as he battled to keep another clean sheet.
Chances in the second period were few and far between, but the Eagles had Ashmore to thank once again as an outstanding one-handed save denied Jon Taylor with barely ten minutes left as the stalemate remained intact.
Greenfield was sent off for a second yellow card late on for the hosts, but the scoreboard remained untouched as Bedford Town saw off any late Radcliffe threat to pick up a valuable point.
Bedford Town return to action against Oxford City at The Eyrie on Tuesday night (21 October) before another trip to the north west to face Chester next Saturday (25 October).
