Real Bedford and Bedford Town will finally meet on the pitch, after Real Bedford confirmed their spot in the county’s showpiece Bedfordshire Senior Cup final with a 2-1 victory over Leighton Town in the semi-final on Tuesday night (10 March).
The near neighbours, who have not met since Peter McCormack’s takeover of the old Bedford FC in April 2022, re-naming it Real Bedford, will battle it out for silverware in the final, with the date and location yet to be confirmed by Bedfordshire FA.
Bedford Town earned their spot with an entertaining 4-2 win against Biggleswade Town at The Eyrie back in February, and now local football fans in Bedford will finally get the game they’ve wanted in the cup final.
Read: Ebanks brace helps Bedford Town to potential county cup final with Real Bedford
The Bedfordshire FA Senior Cup final usually takes place at Kenilworth Road, the home of Luton Town, but with both finalists from Bedford, there are whispers that the game will be moved to The Eyrie.
We have contacted Bedfordshire FA for confirmation.
Relations between the two clubs have cooled in recent months after a proposed merger fell through in April 2025, but many local football fans – particularly of a Bedford Town persuasion – continue to not recognise the club next door with the chant, “There’s only one team in Bedford” a regular occurrence at The Eyrie.
Read: Bedford Town FC and Real Bedford FC merger is off
Stevens and Hitchcock send Real to the final
The Real Bedford social media pages were alight with the phrase, “There’s only two teams in Bedford!” following Tuesday night’s semi-final against Southern League Central Division One league leaders, Leighton Town, in which Real were full value for the win.
Rob Sinclair’s side dominated much of the first half, with an early Ben Stevens free kick saved by goalkeeper, Dan Hosier, before Conor Tee’s cross found Tom Hitchcock – who had earned a deserved start up front – but his header was also stopped in its tracks.
Stevens, Tee and Hitchcock all had further chances as shots rained down on Hosier’s goal, before Leighton earnt their first opportunity after 35 minutes, with BJ Christie laying it off for Fabio Silvestri, whose goal bound strike was stopped by in-form, Craig King.
Real deservedly took the lead five minutes before half-time, as Stevens received the ball on the edge and fired home an excellent finish, and it was a lead they would not surrender.
The second half followed much of the same trajectory, with Hitchcock sending Stevens’ cross narrowly wide on the hour mark, but he made amends just a minute later as he doubled Real’s lead.
Isaac Galliford sent Stevens on his way, and while the Pirates’ talisman could have finished himself, he unselfishly tapped across to Hitchcock to slot home an easy second.
Strong penalty shouts for Real were waved away soon after as Ben Weyman went down in the box, before the woodwork was rattled at both ends inside three minutes.
First, Leighton’s Goddy Oppong made a great run from the halfway line, only to see his final strike crash back off the post, before a thunderous volley from Jack Morrell smashed against the crossbar at the other end.
Leighton created a nervy ending as two substitutes combined on 81 minutes, with a deep cross from Sydney Ibie met by Tolu Ikuyinminu to head home and halve the deficit, but they could not find an equaliser to stop the Bedford vs Bedford showdown in the final.
Real Bedford are back in Southern League action this Saturday (14 March) as they face a key game at second placed, Harborough Town.
