Real Bedford finally kicked off the new calendar year in Southern League Premier Central with a battling 3-1 win at relegation threatened, AFC Sudbury on Tuesday night (13 January).
After postponements for frozen pitches against Bishop’s Stortford and Needham Market to kick off 2026, Rob Sinclair and his side found themselves down in 10th in the division through no fault of their own, and with as many as six games in hand on those around them.
To say it’s been a frustrating time at the Ledger Stadium is an understatement, with the Pirates unable to find any rhythm and their last game coming on 27 December 2025, in which they were soundly beaten at home by St Ives Town.
Read: Real Bedford lose out at home to clinical St Ives
However, on Tuesday night, they picked up an all important three points to inject some gas into their season.
Real had the better of the first half opportunities, with a Conor Tee cross nearly diverted into his own goal by a yellow shirt, before sending a further effort just wide on the 20-minute mark.
Josh Setchell also had a goal disallowed after the assistant flagged for the ball going out of play, before Sudbury goalkeeper Lennon MacLorg was forced into two smart stops to deny Tee and then Josh Allen.
Sudbury chances fell to Kien Connolly, before defender Ellis Lawson found himself in unfamiliar territory behind the Real defence, but he couldn’t find the back of the net.
The game’s opener came ten minutes before half-time, with Josh Allen finishing a moved that included captain, Lee Watkins and Ben Stevens; the latter crossing for the striker to net his 14th league goal of the season.
Real could have been two ahead at the break, only for Jack Morrell’s looping cross to bounce back off the top of the crossbar before MacLorg was again on hand to keep Stevens out, meaning Bedford had to make do with a single goal lead at half-time.
Real soar clear in second half
While Sudbury had a good opportunity to equalise in the opening moments of the second half, the pattern of play largely remained the same as Real Bedford continued to mount up the chances.
Josh Allen fired wide, before setting up Stevens who hit the woodwork, but come the 70th minute mark, those opportunities were distant memories as Bedford put the game to bed.
Allen turned provider for Josh Setchell who smashed home into the roof of the net at the second time of asking to double the visitors’ lead, before the clincher was added just three minutes later.
Stevens, so often the architect of such moves, lifted a deft ball into the path of substitute, Archie Jones who slotted home into the bottom corner for Real’s third that sealed the three points.
Connolly’s late goal for Sudbury was a mere consolation, if a mild annoyance for Real keeper Craig King, whose last clean sheet came on 18 November at Bury Town, but the three points will be welcome as the league kicks on towards the business end.
Real Bedford remain in 10th, but are just three points off the play-off places, although they have played a considerably less number of games than the teams around them.
Rob Sinclair’s men are back in action on Saturday (17 January) as they face another side towards the bottom of the division in Barwell.
