Bedford Town lost in the Preliminary Round of the FA Cup for the second consecutive season, losing 1-0 to Daventry Town in a bizarre game at Communications Park.
In a repeat of last season’s Preliminary Round scoreline, where the Eagles lost 1-0 to Deeping Rangers, Bedford Town could consider themselves unlucky in a game that had five disallowed goals; four of them for Mark Ducket’s side.
The first disallowed goal came as early as the third minute and was for the hosts, but the Eagles’ frustration quickly mounted as the referee’s whistle interrupted celebrations on four occasions after that.
The first disallowed goal came after a foul on a Daventry defender as Ross Watson’s flick on was poked home by Joe Steele.
Connor Tomlinson also found the net for the visitors, along with marquee new signing Rene Howe, but both were disallowed for offside.
Striker Tom Hitchcock – later replaced by Dan Walker – also got the ball past an otherwise brilliant Daventry Town goalkeeper but it was inevitably chalked off thanks to another offside flag.
The scoreline was destined to remain goalless, and a penalty shoot out loomed large, until the final play of the game in which the referee adjudged the ball to hit Rob Sinclair’s arm, despite it appearing to bounce off his shoulder.
The penalty was duly dispatched, meaning Bedford Town have no FA Cup run for the second consecutive season.
Manager Mark Ducket was seemingly not happy with the controversial refereeing performance, tweeting post-match that “it was only ever about one individual”, before apologising to the 80 travelling fans for not scoring.
The Eagles kick off their league campaign next Saturday as they travel to Thame United in the PitchingIn Southern League Central Division One, a division they are aiming to get out of sooner rather than later.
