Late goals secure impressive away win at Leighton Town
By Will Murray
Real Bedford moved closer to securing 100 points in the league, winning 4-1 away at Leighton Town. Drew Richardson, Joey Evans, Ben Stevens and Archie Jones scored the goals for the Pirates in front of a 756 crowd at the Freed Veneers Community Stadium.
Before the game, the Pirates were given a guard of honour by the hosts after wrapping up the league title last weekend. The Pirates dominated the early stages, with Stevens and Tom Hitchcock both seeing their efforts narrowly miss the target after some intricate passing play.
Hitchcock, who played 90 minutes for the first time since the Bedfordshire Senior Challenge Cup semi-final against AFC Dunstable, was lively throughout and saw his header cleared off the line from a corner in the 27th minute.
Rob Sinclair’s side were rewarded for their dominance two minutes later when Richardson won the ball back in midfield and rifled a perfectly placed right-footed effort into the top corner from 20 yards.
The hosts responded immediately, with Kyal Williams driving through the midfield and threading the ball to Godlove Oppong, who tapped home from close range in the 31st minute.
Both teams had chances to go ahead before the break, including Evans, who chested the ball straight at the goalkeeper from point-blank range after a floated cross from Stevens from the right wing.
There was 10 minutes of added time due to a head injury to Lee Cooksey. We wish him a speedy recovery.
Second Half
The second half was a scrappy affair, with Leighton causing the Pirates problems, particularly through Lynton Goss.
Stevens thought he had made it 2-1 in the 63rd minute, placing his free-kick from just outside of the box perfectly into the top corner. The goal was disallowed though due to a foul by Hitchcock in the box.
Fabio Silvestri, who replaced Cooksey in the first-half, came closest to putting the hosts in the lead when he hit the post with a right-footed effort in the 72nd minute.
With the game finely poised, Evans put the Pirates ahead in the 76th minute in bizarre fashion. George Rose’s clearance hit the number nine’s back and dribbled into the back of the net for his 35th league goal of the season.
After his first free-kick was disallowed, Stevens ensured that he wasn’t denied twice. In the 82nd minute, in an almost identical position, he sent the goalkeeper the wrong way and slotted the ball into the bottom corner to put the game beyond the hosts.
There was time for one more in the 87th minute, with Hitchcock lifting a perfectly weighted ball to Jones at the backpost, who smashed home from close range.
The victory puts the Pirates 13 points clear at the top of the Southern League Division One Central table, needing two points from the last two matches to become centurions.
Next up is a home game against AFC Dunstable on Monday 21st April.
After the match, Sinclair said:
“Getting to 100 points is the goal and the motivation now. When you win leagues before the end of the season, sometimes it can fizzle out, but you look at the boys today, they didn’t let that happen. That’s the target to try and get to that 100-point mark.”
The Pirates are next at home on Monday 21st April, facing AFC Dunstable in the league. Tickets for the match are available here
RBFC: McGregor, S. Ward, Longden, Morrell, Richardson (T. Ward 83’), Watkins (Nicolson 90+2), Jones, Setchell, Stevens (Agemoh-Davies 90’), Hitchcock, Evans.
Unused subs: Galliford, Soile.
Leighton Town 1 - 4 Real Bedford
19th April 2025
Kick-off: 3pm
Location: Freed Veneers Community Stadium
