Real Bedford and Berkhamsted battled out a combative 0-0 draw at the Glencar Community Stadium on Saturday (22 March) at the top of Southern League Central Division One, leaving Real three points clear with two games in hand.
Berkhamsted – needing a win to make the final weeks of the title race tasty – had by far the better chances of the ninety minutes only to be denied on multiple occasions by Tyler McGregor in the Real Bedford goal as he frustrated the home side with some excellent saves.
Berkhamsted’s 3-1 loss at home to Beaconsfield in midweek had made this game a must-win for the side chasing Real Bedford at the top of the league, and with only the champions gaining automatic promotion, this clash was always going to be pivotal.
Early half chances for Shaheim Ward and Jack Morrell for the Pirates were seen off, before McGregor in the Real Bedford goal was called into action for the first time on what would turn into a heroic clean sheet.
The Pirates’ shot stopper has cut a lonely figure in recent weeks as he watched the team in front of him score three and five goals without response against the league’s stragglers in North Leigh and Northwood, but he more than earnt his stripes today.
The first chance was spurned by former Bedford Town striker, Connor Tomlinson who found himself one-on-one with McGregor only for the Real keeper to come out on top, before Louie Collier forced McGregor into another smart save.
A pair of yellow cards for Real were perhaps the only notable talking points for Rob Sinclair’s men in a first half where Berkhamsted were gaining all of the opportunities, and McGregor was on hand again to stop the home side taking a half-time lead.
It was another former Bedford Town man in Adam Watkins who was denied, as Real had their number one to thank for keeping them in the encounter.
The second half followed the same pattern; Tomlinson once again was on the end of a glorious opportunity for the hosts, only for his effort at the back post to drift wide before BJ Christie had a goal disallowed for an ever more frustrated side in yellow.
Bedford efforts were consigned to a stray Ben Stevens strike, before McGregor was forced into another stop from Collier and when Matt Bateman’s late header clipped the post and went wide, Chris Devane’s men were forced into accepting it was not their day.
It could have been far worse for the home side if Josh Setchell had planted home a smash-and-grab winner in the second minute of injury time – by far Real’s best opportunity of the match – but the winger struck over the crossbar to maintain the 0-0 scoreline.
The away point is a better result for Real Bedford, who enjoy the luxury of two games in hand, beginning with a home game against 16th-placed, Stotfold on Tuesday night (25 March).
For Berkhamsted, their own automatic promotion hopes are now out of their hands, and they must hope Real Bedford slip up while continuing to win all of their remaining six games.
“Grind it out”
Man of the match, Tyler McGregor acknowledged the challenge of the ninety minutes, saying “we had to grind it out.”
“We have to be happy. They came here with a game plan and executed it perfectly so we’ll take the point.
“It was a little bit frantic in the first half. We needed to get the ball down and play the way we wanted to instead of spinning it in behind constantly, but other than that, you’re going to have to grind it out, and that’s ultimately what we did”.
“Let’s keep the train rolling!”
“Were we good enough with our attacking play? No”, added manager, Rob Sinclair.
“The defence were brilliant but Tyler has really stepped up this season; his game has improved a lot and in big moments, you need big players, so credit to Tyler.”
Real Bedford are back in action on Tuesday 25 March at the Ledger Stadium, as they host Stotfold looking to extend their league lead to six points at the top of Southern League Central Division One.
