Real Bedford face a tricky FA Cup replay away at Southern League Premier Central’s form team, Bishop’s Stortford after a low key 1-1 draw in the first qualifying round at the Ledger Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Josh Allen’s first competitive goal for Real was cancelled out by Fabio Virciglio in the second half, with both sides facing an extra fixture at Woodside Park on Tuesday 2 September.
Courtesy of their league title last season, Real Bedford had already beaten last season’s FA Cup effort by entering the competition at the first qualifying round, but were given the toughest possible draw against the early pace setters at step three.
Bishop’s Stortford have a 100% record so far in the division, winning four out of four and conceding just one goal, but were matched stride for stride here, and were arguably lucky to save their blushes with a second half equaliser.
Real manager, Rob Sinclair made five changes to the starting line-up that drew a stalemate at St Ives on Bank Holiday Monday, but the first chance fell to the ever present, Ben Stevens who made Adam Hayton work in the Stortford goal.
Allen’s first puts Real in control
Up the other end, a sloppy pass by Drew Richardson allowed Nahum Melvin-Lambert to play in Luka Chalwell who managed to beat the onrushing Tyler McGregor to the ball, only to see a scuffed effort cleared off the line by a scrambling Shaheim Ward.
The opener was controversial in fashion, as Josh Allen looked for all the world to be offside, but play was allowed to continue with the new signing cutting inside off the right wing and slotting the ball between Hayton’s legs.
Chances at the other end fell to captain, Jake Thompson whose header was cleared from near the goal line while a smart stop from McGregor denied Saleem Akanbi.
Real should have doubled their lead; Galliford played in Allen once more only for his effort to be palmed clear, while the rebound narrowly evaded Jack Morrell, while further efforts for Stevens and Galliford flew wide.
To their credit, the visitors finished the first half well despite their sloppiness; Brad Russell played in Melvin-Lambert only to be smothered by McGregor before an acrobatic effort from Virciglio went just over as the Pirates went into the break one up.
Virciglio strike equals replay
Both sides came out with renewed vigour in the second half; Melvin-Lambert once again at the centre of the attacking action as his downward header was collected by McGregor, who then set Stevens on his way to shoot straight at Hayton.
Ty Ward was then the latest to hit straight at the goalkeeper, before Stortford went straight up the other end to equalise.
More excellent work from Russell saw the ball land at the feet of Virciglio who curled an inch perfect shot past the outstretched hand of McGregor, in very similar fashion to Kettering’s Alfie Lewis a week ago, to restore parity.
The rest of the game was punctuated by consistent yellow cards for both sides, although both had chances to win it.
Chalwell was denied again by McGregor at close range, while Joey Evans came on and caused some problems in shooting wide on a couple of occasions, but the best opportunity came in the closing moments.
A deep cross from Harry Forde was slightly misjudged by Sam Cartwright to fall to Chalwell again, and his excellent first time cross was begging to be tapped home into an empty Real net, only for Melvin-Lambert’s stretch to find thin air.
It was the final act of an even encounter, and they will have to battle it out over ninety minutes again in a replay on Tuesday night (2 September), a little over 24 hours after the draw for the second qualifying round, where Bedford Town enter the equation.
