Bedford Town’s status as a National League North club took another step to being secure on Good Friday, as a dominant second half display helped them to a 3-1 win against already relegated, Leamington at The Eyrie.
Josh Castiglione, George Moncur and an unfortunate own goal by Leamington keeper, Eddie Brearey were the goalscorers on a vital afternoon of National League North football, as Bedford Town battled back from going behind early to claim a valuable three points.
Bedford Town are six points above the drop zone in 19th, with four games remaining.
On paper, a home tie against already relegated Leamington was as welcome as it could have been for Lee Bircham’s men, but they would have been wary of a side with the pressure off, after already confirming their own relegation a fortnight ago.
Leamington’s 4-2 victory against Peterborough Sports last Saturday, plus a confidence-boosting 6-0 win in the Birmingham Cup in midweek, may have dragged them clear of their slumber, but Bedford Town were on hand to stop them in their tracks to boost their own survival hopes.
Brogan and Castiglione trade early goals
Leamington’s new found confidence came to fruition as early as the sixth minute, when a fortuitous strike put them into an early lead.
A corner drifted into the near post, but the Bedford Town defence couldn’t clear properly, and the ball fell to the feet of Scunthorpe loanee, Max Brogan who smashed home into the roof of the net.
It took just three minutes for the Eagles to respond as Josh Castiglione, playing in a more advanced role to cover the vast number of attacking options missing for Bedford, ran straight through the centre of a beleagured Leamington defence before slotting home the equaliser into the bottom corner.
Both sides continued to trade chances in what was an even first half; former Eagles defender Will Glennon saw a shot deflected wide, while Jevani Brown – employed as a centre forward – scooped an effort over the bar for Bedford.
Leamington chances fell almost exclusively to the excellent Brogan, who whipped a dangerous free kick past Ashmore’s near post before sending a shot from a similar distance narrowly wide.
Both sides went into the changing rooms at a goal apiece; a fair reflection of an even first half, but there was no mistake as to who won the second, as Bedford Town came out all guns blazing.
Moncur saves Gyamfi blushes
The early moments of the second half were end-to-end, with Bedford scuppering two golden opportunities to turn the game on its head, as two low crosses across the face of goal from Lewis Green and George Moncur went unanswered.
Sandwiched in between was a Leamington break, but Owen Farmer opted to go it alone, spearing a simple shot at Ashmore, when it would have been a far better option to square it to Tyrone Lewthwaite in acres of space.
All three of those chances were huge, but perhaps the most golden of all fell to Junior Gyamfi, who was played clean through on goal by Jevani Brown, only to fluff his lines and hit his effort well over the crossbar from six yards.
It was a chance that could have shaped the rest of the game, but thankfully for Gyamfi, his blushes were spared within a minute.
Another good move on the edge of the Leamington area found Moncur in space in the right channel, and the midfielder made no mistake in smashing it into the centre of the goal for his first in Bedford colours.
From that point, Bedford Town dominated the rest of the proceedings.
Sam Brown’s long throw, which was a useful weapon throughout the game, found Jevani Brown in a central position a couple of minutes after Moncur’s strike, but he could only poke it wide, before Eddie Brearey kept out a goal bound Ryan Doherty header in superb fashion.
Jack Jenkins also saw a header miss the target, but it felt like the third goal was soon coming, and so it did after 67 minutes, albeit in bizarre fashion.
A corner from the left side was floated right on top of Brearey, who could only direct it into his own net, with the own goal gifting the Eagles a two-goal advantage and some breathing space.
Not that it meant Bedford Town sat back. An avalanche of opportunities followed the third goal, with Brown, Jenkins and the returning T’Sharne Gallimore all denied by a recovering Brearey as the Eagles sensed another.
Bedford Town also saw two late free kicks hit the woodwork, and they will also have another suspension to add to the ranks after Jenkins was shown a 95th-minute red card for a strong challenge on Miro Pais.
More importantly however, their six point buffer above the drop zone remains after an excellent second half showing was too strong for Leamington.
Elsewhere, 22nd-placed Hereford lost 2-1 at Kidderminster – their seventh loss in a row – while Alfreton drew 1-1 against Worksop. Both sides have games in hand over Bedford Town, with the Eagles due to host Hereford on Saturday, 11 August.
Oxford City gained a creditable point at Merthyr Town, while Peterborough Sports – in 23rd – look to be in the deepest trouble despite a 2-2 draw at King’s Lynn, who now look to be safe ahead of a visit from Bedford Town on Easter Monday.
Curzon Ashton have also inexplicably been dragged into the mix and sit 18th, having not won a game since the middle of February.
Bedford Town’s remaining games are a trip to King’s Lynn in three days’ time, before hosting Hereford at The Eyrie on 11 April.
A long trip to South Shields is on Saturday, 18 April before the season finishes at The Eyrie against Scarborough on 25 April.
Lee Bircham and his men will be hoping that all is said and done before the visit of Scarborough, but there are still some twists and turns to come in what is an intriguing National League North relegation scrap.
