Following an 18-season hiatus from the sixth tier of English football, a frantic late leveller at the Eyrie from local lad, Tyrone Marsh earned Bedford Town a precious 2-2 draw against Alfreton Town in their first game back on Saturday (9 August).
While critics and fans alike may have been questioning how Bedford Town would handle their second successive promotion, the transfer revamp that the Eagles have undergone this summer made their competitive intentions clear upon their return to step two.
The signing of two Bedford-born, National League-proven forwards in Shaun Jeffers and Marsh alongside the loan acquisition of John Shamalo will look to provide Bircham with the attacking ammunition he needs this season following the departure of last season’s top scorer, Leon Lobjoit.
Read: Star striker Leon Lobjoit to leave Bedford Town but local lad Taylor joins
As well as their long list of further new additions, including names such as Cole Kpekawa, Lewis Coyle and Dan Wilks, the Eagles have also retained a number of last season’s mainstays.
Ryan Blake, Carl Mensah, Junior Gyamfi, Eddie Panter and Bruno Andrade will all remain at the Eyrie for the season ahead, with Andrade on a dual registration with Rushden & Diamonds.
As for Alfreton Town, this game marked the inception of their tenth consecutive season in the division. While they finished 14th in last season’s National League North, the Reds have typically been play-off threateners in recent years.
They kick off this campaign with a youthful and relatively unseasoned squad, embodied by their starting back five, who had a combined age of just 24.
With Bircham’s touchline ban ruling him out of pitch side action for the first nine games, there was a distinct lack of presence in the dugout for the Eagles, something that the players will have to get used to in this first part of the season.
Read: Bedford Town manager Lee Bircham handed nine match ban
Marsh stands out
Pre-match worries about Bedford not being up to the speed of the division were quickly dispelled as they soon settled into evenly matched contest with Alfreton.
One player for Alfreton Town who truly personified the step up in quality that Bedford will face this season was Siyabonga Ligendza.
He showed early signs of dismantling Bedford’s back line all by himself with his raw speed and power accompanied by a pair of tricky feet.
Despite the Reds having had better chances to open their league account in the opening 35 minutes, it was Bedford Town – and indeed Tyrone Marsh – who did so in style.
Having been brought to the ground by George Cantrill just outside the penalty area, it was debutant Marsh’s job to take the free-kick and his effort curled idyllically into the postage stamp of George Willis’ goal, leaving the Alfreton keeper with no chance.
No sooner than Bedford fans had finished celebrating Marsh’s first goal in blue and white, Alfreton Town hit back with an equally excellent equaliser, scored by Ligendza.
Every time Ligendza got hold of the ball, it seemed only a matter of time before he would make his dangerous possession count.
Adam Lund aimed a lofted ball towards Ligendza on the right flank with just minutes left of the half, hoping that the Welshman could create an opportunity.
Ligendza brought it down on his chest elegantly while holding off Sam Brown, poked it past Greg Taylor and then finished assuredly underneath Wilks in goal.
Fewster goal looks to end Eagles’ hopes
The slight caginess of the first half continued long into the second; an unfortunate fact for any neutrals who were in attendance.
With 20 minutes to go, it looked as if the game was bound to end in a stalemate as neither side had so much as seen a sight of goal in the second half.
It was the trebuchet-like long throw from Alfreton captain, Lund that would tip the balance.
His huge hurl into the penalty area evaded Wilks and fell just yards from the line for Billy Fewster to tap into an empty net.
The feeling within the Eyrie following Fewster’s goal for the Reds was one of dismay, and until Panter came on with ten minutes to go, there seemed little likelihood of an Eagles redemption.
Panter was able to inject some much needed speed and tenacity back into a now weary eleven. He created crossing opportunities and caused Alfreton’s stubborn back five their first real problems of the day.
With the seconds of stoppage time ticking away, a Bedford corner provided the Eagles with a final chance to crowd the box. The original corner taken by substitute, Harrison Murphy was nodded clear by Hunt to the other side of the area.
Panter then launched a cross back in which skimmed off the crossbar, which was followed by an almighty scramble before the ball fell to the feet of Marsh to slam home the leveller.
It secured an opening day 2-2 draw; the first point of which manager Lee Bircham will hope are many as the Eagles look to remain in the National League setup.
Next for the Eagles in their step two resurgence is an away trip to Southport, where they’ll look to build on this point with their first win in National League North.
