Real Bedford once again opened up a three point gap to Berkhamsted with a hard fought 3-1 win against Enfield at a wet Ledger Stadium on Saturday (15 February).
There were whispers before the match that it was to be postponed for a waterlogged pitch, but the game went ahead and Rob Sinclair and his charges were thankful that it did as they carved out a precious triumph that see them move further from their title rivals.
It took almost twenty minutes for the game to come to life as both sides adjusted to the boggy conditions; Enfield’s Kieran Southgate and Real’s Callum Nicolson exchanging chances before an excellent strike broke the deadlock.
Isaac Galliford’s cross was aimed at the in-form Joey Evans, but the clearing header only found Drew Richardson twenty-five yards out who volleyed a cracking strike into George Edgeworth’s bottom right hand corner.
First half chances were few and far between for the visitors – at least until the verge of the whistle – as Adam Thompson skewed an effort past the post after a cute exchange with Southgate.
It was however a comical moment that put Real in control not long after.
Edgeworth smacked a clearance into the midriff of his centre back, Callum Taylor who was left in a heap on the floor as the ball fell kindly to Josh Setchell to tap into an empty net.
The two-goal advantage gave Real the confidence to calm their play down, and they were unlucky not to have an immediate third as a rasping shot from Setchell was well saved by Edgeworth before Galliford had an effort blocked.
As half-time approached, Enfield had multiple chances to claim a goal back.
Freddy Moncur saw an effort sail wide, Southgate forced McGregor into his first save of the game, and Thompson nodded the resulting corner on to the crossbar as Enfield produced warning signs for the Bedford defence.
Lack of cutting edge hurts Enfield
The visiting side were not without their chances, and this once again showed in the early stages of the second half as Luke Clark side-footed a glaring opportunity over McGregor’s goal.
Up the other end, Real Bedford were proving to be far more clinical, and so it showed as they put the game to bed with their third.
Joey Evans, who scored a rare blank, could not get a shot off before he set up Isaac Galliford who then proceeded to wildly slice his shot across the face of goal into the arms of the grateful Setchell who smashed home his second of the game.
Further efforts on goal for Evans and Galliford came each side of a Stevens effort which was kept out thanks to a combination of Edgeworth and the increasingly boggy mud on the goal line, as Real went in search of a fourth.
The game’s fourth goal came for Enfield as Southgate gained a deserved line in the scorer’s column with a strike from distance, similar to Richardson’s in the first half, but despite their best efforts, it was all Enfield could muster on a frustrating afternoon for the Londoners.
The closing stages were full of chances; an ambitious overhead kick from Southgate could only find the arms of McGregor before Edgeworth acrobatically kept out another Setchell shot, while Evans’ frustrating afternoon was capped as his late header was ruled out for offside.
It was all immaterial, as the full time whistle blew on another Real Bedford win that, coupled with Barton Rovers’ late equaliser at Berkhamsted, see the Pirates three points clear at the top of Southern League Central Division One with a game in hand.
Rob Sinclair’s team are back in league action next Saturday (22 February) as they travel to Biggleswade FC; the term ‘travel’ used loosely, as Biggleswade FC play their home games at the home of Bedford Town, The Eyrie.
