Bedford Town now have one hand on the Southern League Premier Central title as they eked out a crucial 2-1 victory against Stratford Town at The Eyrie to maintain their three-point cushion over Kettering Town at the top of the division.
First-half strikes from Leon Lobjoit and Eddie Panter were enough to see off a late comeback attempt from Stratford, sparked by a close-range Daniel Lafferty goal midway through the second half.
Unsurprisingly, form favoured Lee Bircham’s league-leading side. Bedford’s last loss came in early February to Royston, and since then, they have picked up an unbelievable 26 points in 10 games.
Stratford Town came to the Eyrie off the back of a slightly more turbulent run of form than their opponents. They had picked just 7 points from their last 7 games, leaving their play-off hopes hanging in the balance.
To quell any pre-match jitters that Bedford Town fans may have had, the Eagles dealt out their damage in the opening twenty minutes.
Having started the better of the two sides, Bedford Town capitalised on their early superiority via a trademark Sam Brown long throw-in just 10 minutes in.
The Bedford number three hurled ball towards a melee of players in the box.
Jack Davies made the first contact, flicking it on for none other than the Eagles’ resident poacher, Leon Lobjoit who was lurking in the six-yard box to tap in his 26th goal of the season.
Instead of rallying against Bedford’s wave of early intensity, the Bards’ response was to concede another defensively sloppy goal just 10 minutes after the first.
Aaron Lacey of Stratford Town failed to deal with a Khanya Leshebela cross, heading it up into the air instead of away to safety.
The ball looked to be falling kindly for Leon Lobjoit to volley in his second, however, Bedford’s usually potent marksman scuffed his shot this time, seeing it roll into the path of Eddie Panter at the back post, who tucked the Eagles’ second into an all but empty net.
Like many sides who have visited the Eyrie this season, Stratford seemed lethargic and uninventive in the final third, resulting in very few sights of goal for the visitors in the first half.
However, when one came in the form of a guilt-edged chance for Callum Ebanks, the Stratford striker was unable to put the ball either side of Jonathan MacAuley’s frame, much to the frustration of the man who played him through, Jamie Molyneux.
It was without doubt that Stratford needed to change things at half time after a dire first forty five minutes. That change came in the form of three fresh faces in Jack Storer, Charlie Williams and Owen James.
Storer and Williams immediately pepped up Stratford’s front-line, providing them with far more menace in attacking areas. With a two goal lead to cling on to, Bedford set up more defensively in the second half.
With 25 minutes left on the clock, Stratford’s found the net in almost identical fashion to Bedford’s first.
The Stratford long throw came courtesy of midfielder, Lewis Ludford-Ison, whose delivery was helped on its way by Captain Paul McCone before being lashed home by Daniel Lafferty to reignite Stratford’s fading play-off hopes.
After narrowly missing out on play-off football last season, finishing sixth on the same points as fifth placed Mickleover, Stratford had an eagerness after the Lafferty goal to not let themselves submit to the same fate.
Unfortunately, a serious head collision between Carl Mensah and Callum Ebanks caused a long break in play, taking the wind out of the Warwickshire side’s sails, and leaving Ebanks to be stretchered off the field.
Despite a mammoth 18 minutes of stoppage time added on by the referee, Stratford were simply unable to break down the fortified defence of Brown, Davies, Mensah and Green.
Lobjoit came inches away from adding a spectacular third for the Eagles, with Weaver seemingly reaching backwards to paw away the long range effort.
Upon the full-time whistle, there was a jubilancy unlike anything since last season’s play-off final. While the champagne is still on ice for the time being, step two football looks to be beckoning for Bircham’s Bedford Town.
Bedford Town could secure the title on Easter Monday, if Kettering lose and they are able to overcome their already-relegated rivals, Hitchin Town at Top Field.
