Real Bedford’s FA Cup run is over for another season after falling on the wrong side of a seven-goal thriller at National League South side Chesham United, losing 4-3.
Goals from Sam Cartwright, Ben Stevens and an albeit late strike from Archie Jones were not enough as Real fell in the third qualifying round, marking an end to their best ever FA Cup run.
It means Rob Sinclair’s side are now knocked out of every cup competition, leaving their sole focus on the Southern League as they look for promotion up to step two of the non-league pyramid.
Real had reached the third qualifying round following a 2-1 victory against step five side Harleston Town in Norfolk, while Chesham were here courtesy of a 7-2 thrashing of Ware in the previous round.
Read: Real Bedford squeeze past step five Harleston to progress in FA Cup
Late first half goals after King controversy
There were buckets of goals in this tie as well, although Chesham never surrendered a lead they gained with a little over half an hour on the clock.
The first half was full of chances, including a controversial moment in which Chesham believed Bedford goalkeeper, Craig King should have been sent off for a handball outside the area.
The referee waved away their protests, but the home side were in front not long after as Dubem Eze opened the scoring with his fourth goal in the FA Cup this season.
It took just three minutes for Real Bedford to equalise, as Ben Stevens’ quick corner was whipped to the back post where an unmarked Sam Cartwright was on hand to nod home the leveller, but Chesham went into half-time ahead as they struck soon after.
Hisham Kasimu was the goalscorer, after Eze’s shot was spilled by King, allowing the number nine to tap home the simplest of finishes as half-time approached.
Goalmouth action continues late in second half
Just seven minutes into the second half, it looked as if the game was put to bed as Chesham made it 3-1.
Jayden Bennetts was the goalscorer, capitalising on a mistake in the Bedford defence, and the scoreline remained that way before a flurry of goals at the end, almost creating a dramatic finish.
Stevens’ excellent strike into the top corner made the scoreline 3-2 with five minutes of normal time remaining, but when Alex Babos fired a volley through King on the stroke of injury time to restore the two-goal cushion, an entertaining tie looked all but done.
Archie Jones scored Real’s third deep into injury time to make it 4-3, but there was not enough seconds left on the clock to mount an unlikely challenge for a fourth as the referee blew full-time to see Chesham through to Monday’s fourth qualifying round draw.
The loss leaves Rob Sinclair and his men with just the league to focus on following last weekend’s FA Trophy loss against Wingate and Finchley, while their Bedfordshire Senior Cup defence is already over.
Next Saturday’s game against potential title rivals, Bromsgrove Sporting is a big occasion, where Real will look to return to the winner’s enclosure; a space they have filled nine times out of nine in the Southern League this season.
That game kicks off at 3pm at the Ledger Stadium on Saturday, 10 October.
