Real Bedford are now six points clear at the top of Southern League Central Division One after a comfortable 6-0 thrashing of Stotfold at the Ledger Stadium on Tuesday night.
A brace for Joey Evans alongside strikes for Lee Watkins, Archie Jones, Ben Stevens and late replacement, Tom Hitchcock came after Ashley Kersey was sent off for Stotfold thanks to a stamp on Drew Richardson after just 25 minutes.
This encounter was one of two games in hand for Real Bedford over their title rivals, Berkhamsted, beginning the night three points ahead of the Hertfordshire side after a 0-0 stalemate between the two on Saturday.
Read: McGregor heroics save point for Real Bedford at Berkhamsted
To their credit, unlike some teams visiting the Ledger Stadium this season, Stotfold came to play.
They started much the better of the two teams; Haroon Meriai spurning a good chance from ten yards out after just three minutes before McGregor was called into action to deny Patrick Matejko from the resulting corner.
Red card changes complexion
Real’s first chance came from the counter attack as Setchell raced clear only to be denied by Alfie Bonfield in the Stotfold goal before Ben Stevens wasted a glorious opportunity when through on goal, but placed wide of the right hand post.
Meriai had a further effort straight at McGregor before the game’s turning point occurred in ugly fashion.
Ashley Kersey and Drew Richardson jumped for the ball in mid air only for the Stotfold number nine to stamp on Richardson as they descended, with the referee quick to flash a deserved red card.
Down to ten men, Stotfold were reduced to sitting on the back foot and Real Bedford – a side who had scored 102 league goals before tonight – spent the remaining 65 minutes picking them off.
Within 90 seconds of the game-changing moment, they were ahead as Eniola Agemoh-Davies’ shot was well kept out by a flying Bonfield, only for the rebound to hit Lee Watkins and bounce in.
With more space to work in, the likes of Josh Setchell and Ben Stevens began to look dangerous, with the former’s stinging cross asking to be tapped in but there was no amber shirt on the end of it.
Moments before the break however, it was two as Archie Jones slotted home into the bottom corner at the second time of asking, and it knocked the stuffing out of the ten men of Stotfold.
The second half saw no let up as Agemoh-Davies was given the freedom of Bedford to find Evans who hit straight at Bonfield before the Stotfold keeper smothered Setchell as Real went in search of a third.
That goal came just five minutes into the second period as Evans was played in by Richardson with the number nine making no mistake second time around.
Further golden opportunities for Evans and Setchell came and went before Bonfield – who made a number of excellent saves throughout the game – acrobatically kept out a blistering Jack Snelus effort as Rob Sinclair’s side continued to ruthlessly press.
The fourth goal came via the right boot of Stevens, who lashed home an effort via the crossbar before Evans completed his brace in simple fashion after latching on to an Agemoh-Davies through ball to slot past an exasperated Bonfield.
Arguably the best goal of the night was saved for last, as Hitchcock floated a wonderful away-curling effort first time into the far corner to finish the rout, and with it, another three points for Real Bedford.
It completed another comfortable outing for Real at home, and not for the first time this season, although onlookers were left wondering how the game would have panned out had it not been for Kersey’s moment of madness.
The night wasn’t all bad for Stotfold FC however as their reserves beat Caldecote 1-0 at The Eyrie next door to win the Bedfordshire FA Senior Trophy.
Opinion: It’s not over until it’s over
The win gives Real Bedford a comfortable six-point buffer at the top and Rob Sinclair’s side could be nine points clear by the time Berkhamsted next play again on 5 April.
However, it would be amiss to declare the title race over.
Real Bedford do not have a straightforward run in, with games against Kings Langley – who beat Real in their reverse fixture – Leighton Town, who are one of a few sides to keep Real out this season, and play-off chasing, Thame United included in their final six games.
Also, their next match is against a decent Beaconsfield Town side who were excellent in beating Berkhamsted 3-1 just a couple of weeks ago.
However, a lot has to go wrong between now and 26 April for the title to land anywhere else but Bedford and should results at home and elsewhere land correctly, they may well be celebrating a league title with their American investors watching on.
Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, whose multi-million dollar investment into Real Bedford was confirmed in February, are due to arrive in Bedford in time for the home fixture against Kings Langley on 12 April.
Read: Winklevoss twins’ $4.5m “gift to Bedford” finalised
How fitting it would be for a club built on the foundations of Bitcoin to secure a third straight league title with perhaps the world’s most famous cryptocurrency brothers watching on.
Real Bedford are back in action at the Ledger Stadium this Saturday 29 March as they host Beaconsfield Town, looking to open up a nine-point gap that may well prove too big a gap for their rivals to close.
