Real Bedford share the points at McMullen Park
After taking an early lead, The Pirates had to settle for a draw after a late penalty decision allowed Coree Wilson to convert from the spot.
Real Bedford started the stronger of the two sides, with the first chance coming 10 minutes into the game. Brett Longden's lobbed ball into Josh Setchell allowed the winger to skip past Tom Wyant, but Setchell could not get the shot away. Instead, he found Ben Stevens, who dragged his effort just wide.
10 minutes later, Drew Richardson attempted the same lofted pass. This time, Evans was first to the ball, chipping Wyant, who had been caught off his line and opening the scoring in the first half.
Not long after, Lee Watkins regained possession in the midfield, playing a through ball to Setchell on the right flank. Setchell hit the by-line before crossing it back to Stevens, who tapped it home off the inside of the post to double the lead for Rob Sinclair's men.
However, in an instant response, Biggleswade found themselves at the other end of the pitch. Striker Coree Wilson skipped past Richardson, who in turn took out the attacker, forcing the referee to point to the spot 30 minutes in. Wilson smashed the ball past McGregor to halve the deficit.
Just before the break, Biggleswade found themselves level. Awarded a corner; the ball wasn't cleared properly by Tyler McGregor, and the ball fell to Milo Keane, who curled it into the bottom left from the edge of the area to bring things level-heading into half time.
Second Half
The Pirates pushed for a winner, Mo Ahmed struck the crossbar early in the half, and Joey Evans had another chance after a good ball from Ben Stevens. But Biggleswade's Markel Cousins arguably had the best chance of the first few minutes. After catching Bedford on the counter, the Biggleswade striker managed to get past Richardson to create a one-on-one with McGregor, but Bedford's shot stopper deflected it out for a corner.
With 20 minutes left on the clock, it was a moment of magic from Setchell down the touchline that sparked the next chance, his dancing feet evading defenders before his cross hit the hand of Joe Babbage in the penalty area, allowing the referee to point to the spot for the second time this afternoon. This time, Evans stepped up and thrashed it into the top right to give Bedford a well-deserved lead.
The Pirates seemed to have weathered the Biggleswade storm and looked to see out the game, but in the final few minutes, a ball into the Real Bedford box hit the arm of Eddie Corbit, and the referee once again pointed to the spot. Coree Wilson once again put it past McGregor to salvage a point for the visitors in the game's dying embers.
Bedford face Codicote FC in the 3rd Round of the Gladwish Challenge Trophy before returning to McMullen Park on Saturday to face FC Romania. Tickets are available here.
RBFC: McGregor, Corbit, Longden, Wood ©, Richardson, Smith, Setchell (Jones 85'), Watkins, Evans, Stevens, Ahmed (Agemoh-Davies' 75)
Unused Subs: J.Ducket, Knight, Hitchcock
Real Bedford 1 - 6 Biggleswade United
17th January, 2024
Kick-off: 3pm
Location: McMullen Park
