James Clifton scored a hat-trick as Bedford Town fought back from 2-1 down to beat Lowestoft Town 4-2 in a six-goal thriller to rise to sixth in Southern League Premier Central.
The Eagles’ sensational season continues as they find themselves outside the play-off spots on goal difference alone as they once again fought back to seal all three points on another eventful Eyrie afternoon.
The Eyrie’s new number nine has now well and truly endeared himself to the Eagles faithful as he spearheaded a second-half fightback that sees the Eagles sit just three points below third-placed Telford in Southern League Premier Central.
After an objectionable evening of Bedfordshire Senior Cup football at Sharpenhoe Road, in which Bedford let slip a two-goal half-time lead to lose 3-2 against step four opponents, Barton Rovers, a reply was required in league action this weekend.
Their opponents were Lowestoft Town, a side that has been struggling for form since the season’s first whistle four months ago, with dour defeats in recent weeks against Halesowen and Stourbridge plunging the Trawlerboys firmly into a fight for survival.
Bedford fight back from second minute
The first goal of the game however didn’t go according to league position.
From an Eagles corner, taken as the clock ticked over into the second minute of the match, Lowestoft cleared to Kyle Haylock who charged away on the break, paving a path through the centre of the pitch.
Having been given time to pick a pass by a short-handed Bedford backline, Haylock opted to play in Duffy to his right who neatly finished past Harrison to give the visitors the lead.
With 88 minutes of normal time remaining, the Eagles had plenty of time to mount a riposte, and after 20 minutes they were back level at one apiece.
Having had the ball set back to him by Ryan Blake from a throw-in, Elliot Simmons floated a cross in towards James Clifton, who powered his header past Blair.
That goal made it three in three for Bedford’s latest attacking acquisition. Unbeknownst to those in the Eyrie at that point, however, there was plenty more to come from Clifton.
While a victory for Bircham’s men appeared rather more straightforward following the equaliser, Lowestoft made it clear in the coming minutes that they hadn’t traveled 120 miles from the East coast to accept defeat placidly.
They appeared sharper, with Charlie Norman boasting quite the burst of acceleration to beat Shann and Thomas before whipping in a cross which ultimately underwhelmed.
When it came to goals and assists though, only one man truly looked likely for the Trawlerboys, and that was Kyle Haylock. Deployed in a talismanic attacking midfielder position, everything promising that Lowestoft created came through him.
With six minutes to go in the first half, Haylock left his permanent imprint on the match.
He incisively drove at the Eagles’ defence having received the ball from McIntosh in the midfield. His rapid changes in direction left Mensah and Mullins in disarray before whipping the ball into the top right corner, helped on by a hand from Harrison.
At half-time, it looked as if Bedford were barrelling toward a home defeat which would have left them three points adrift from the playoffs. Fortunately for those in blue, forty-five minutes remained in which to turn the game around.
Familiar face stamps his mark
Not much appeared to have been tweaked during the break in the opening ten minutes of the second half, with a shot off the bar for the visitors being the closest either side had come.
With half an hour left, a huge moment in the course of the game arrived, and a contentious one at that.
A ball was lifted over the top of the Lowestoft defence for Clifton, who raced onto it and lifted it elegantly over Blair to haul his side back level for the second time.
Claims of offside followed from almost every Lowestoft player and staff member but the referee and linesman both refuted the calls, making the scoreline 2-2.
Barely a minute had passed after the restart before Bedford took the lead for the first time in the game, and it was another familiar goalscorer.
Leon Lobjoit pounced onto a loose ball that Clifton had shielded from the defensive grasps of Barbrook before racing in on goal.
A rather blatant tug of his shirt by the retreating Norman didn’t stop Lobjoit from prodding it past Blair and guiding it excellently into the top corner of the empty net for 3-2.
Bedford’s quickfire double undoubtedly took the wind out of the away side’s sails, and despite being the first town in England to see the sunrise, it looked as if the sun was now setting on another defeat for Lowestoft.
The victory was sealed with the first of what Eagles fans hope will be many hat-tricks for player of the match, Clifton.
A deflected Ryan Blake cross fell favourably to Clifton who, brimming with confidence, lashed it into the bottom left corner on the volley to create an emphatic end to a Christmas cracker at the Eyrie.
Hertfordshire beckons next for the Eagles as they travel to Royston Town at Garden Walk; a ground at which they have already played twice this season, including an FA Cup defeat.
A win could see Bircham’s army march on up to the playoff places.
