Real Bedford prepared for next week’s play-off campaign in the perfect style after a final day 3-1 away victory at Bromsgrove Sporting on Saturday (25 April).
Josh Allen’s 28th league goal of the season alongside strikes for Josh Setchell and Archie Jones secured Real’s 24th league win of the campaign in what was essentially a dead rubber at the UK Electrical Stadium in Worcestershire.
Real Bedford will host Kettering Town in the Southern League Premier Central play-off semi-final on Wednesday, 29 April.
Bromsgrove’s 2-1 away win in Stratford last weekend was enough to keep them from the drama of a nervy final day, and sent St Ives Town down to step four, but they were no match for the Pirates on Saturday as Rob Sinclair’s side head to the play-offs off the back of a victory.
Allen scores again
Josh Allen gave the visitors a lead as early as the fourth minute, as he finished into the bottom corner after excellent work from Ben Stevens on the edge of the area.
Allen, who needed three goals to reach the division’s leading goalscorer, Jason Cowley, could have had his hat-trick inside the first ten minutes, but the striker sent a further pair of chances narrowly off target.
He also saw a header cleared off the line, before Bromsgrove equalised thanks to a cute finish from Kyle Belmonte; lifting a volley over King in the Real goal, but the visitors were ahead at the break, and in fortuitous fashion.
Stevens’ volley was heading wide, but it struck Josh Setchell and deflected into the net in the third minute of added time to put Real ahead.
Five minutes into the second half, the win was secured thanks to Archie Jones, and while both teams traded big chances late on, the scoreline remained 3-1 at the full-time whistle.
The win leaves Real Bedford on 81 points after 42 league games, and in third spot – a place they had secured three weeks ago – and they join Spalding United, Kettering Town and Halesowen Town in the play-offs.
Harborough Town won the league title a fortnight ago and head automatically to National League North.
Real Bedford will host fourth placed, Kettering at the Ledger Stadium on Wednesday, 29 April, hoping to take their revenge for Kettering’s league double over the Pirates during the regular season.
Kettering beat Bury Town by a single goal on Saturday thanks to a strike from former Bedford Town man, Eddie Panter, while Halesowen Town were the day’s biggest winner, leapfrogging into the final play-off spot courtesy of a 5-0 triumph against AFC Sudbury.
They travel to Spalding United in the other play-off semi-final.
