Real Bedford were held to a goalless draw against playoff-pushing Amersham under the Tuesday Night Lights.

It was a frustrating evening for Rob Sinclair's men, as The Pirates shared the points for the first time this season in a 0-0 draw at McMullen Park.

It was an uneventful first half at McMullen Park, and the visitors nearly opened the scoring in the first few minutes but for a header to crash against the post and out for a corner. Following the early scare, Real Bedford assumed control of the game and created the best chances.

Tom Hitchcock had the first meaningful chance of the game. The ball bobbled in front of him before he controlled it on his chest and released a dangerous volley towards the keeper; however, the ball went wide of the mark.

Jordan Brown was next to test the keeper, as he slipped through the Amersham defence and found himself one-on-one with Ryan Lehane in goal, who managed to get a fingertip to the striker's chance and prevent him from opening his account for the game.

Dan Walker had the ball in the net late in the first half, but the linesman incorrectly called the pass through to him from Jordan Brown offside; this was the first of three poor decisions by the officials, which cost the league leaders an opportunity to open the scoring.

A chance fell for Matt Clifford just before the half, the fullback on his return to league action putting a tempting ball towards the area that ended up just over the bar, a cross-turned shot that proved dangerous for Amersham.

Real had a call for a penalty waved away just before the half-time whistle. Tom Hitchcock did well to get on the end of a lobbed ball into the penalty area, which hit the outstretched arm of Daryl Brown in the Amersham defence, deflecting the ball off-target in the process. Despite appeals from the Real Bedford players and faithful, the referee declined to give the penalty, and the Pirates headed into the break goalless.

Second Half

Bedford came out the blocks in the second half and almost found the back of the net after 10 minutes. Dan Walker fizzed a low-driven ball from out wide towards an awaiting Jordan Brown, who failed to get the right touch on the ball, leaving it for Tom Hitchcock. The striker fired it back into a dangerous area where Ben McGrath released a shot goalwards, forcing a strong save from Lehane, which denied the midfielder his 1st league goal of the season.

Jordan Brown was sent to the sin bin leaving the home side with ten men, an advantage Amersham took as they created their best chances of the game. Long-range efforts from Kerley, Bennett and Bircham all tested Tyler McGregor in goal, who produced some superb acrobatic saves to keep a clean sheet for the first time this month, a fine performance from the young keeper to deny Amersham from finding a goal.

With Brown back on the field, Bedford aimed for a final push for the three points. A Clifford corner found Tom Wood at the back post, who, along with Dan Walker and Tom Hitchcock, managed to keep the ball in play and set up the returning Brown with a volley that went just over the bar. It was desperate times for the Pirates, who were insistent on getting the win.

With five minutes to go, Ben McGrath unleashed a shot from range which was parried aside by Lehane in goal; however, Tom Hitchcock was first to the ball and managed to knock it back across the goal and into the path of Dan Walker, whose shot was heroically blocked by a diving Jamie Speer who somehow deflected what seemed to be a certain goal. A head in hands moment for the Real Bedford faithful, who walked away from McMullen Park without seeing a goal for the first time.

The result sets up a tense clash between the top two this weekend, as Bedford takes on Rugby Borough this Saturday, 25th February.

RBFC: McGregor, Gordon, Clifford, S. Sinclair, Wood ©, Uttridge, Walker, McGrath, Hitchcock, Corbit, Brown.

Unused Subs: R. Ducket, A. Sinclair, Owusu, Culley.