Hadley Hold Bedford in a tense 1-1 Draw
Real Bedford hosted Hadley in a top-of-the-table clash at The Ledger Stadium, aiming to increase their lead in the league, but an evenly contested match saw each side walk away with a point.
The game began brightly for Bedford, who dominated much of the possession. However, Hadley looked dangerous on the counter-attack, reminding the home side of their quality. Just two minutes into the game, Bedford thought they had taken the lead when Hitchcock capitalised on a goalkeeping error, slotting the ball into the net. Unfortunately, the referee deemed there was a foul on the keeper, and the goal was disallowed.
The opening stages saw both teams feeling each other out, with limited action but in the 12th minute, Hadley’s Jordan Edwards broke the deadlock. Receiving the ball inside the box, he unleashed a powerful shot past McGregor to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
Bedford responded well, piling pressure on the Hadley defence in search of an equaliser. Their persistence paid off in the 35th minute when Hitchcock and Setchell combined beautifully in attack. Setchell delivered a pinpoint cross into the box, and Hitchcock was there at the far post to slot it home, bringing the score level at 1-1.
Second Half
The second half saw Bedford come out with renewed intent, searching for the winner. They created several chances, with efforts from Stevens and Setchell, but none tested Hadley goalkeeper Charlie Taylor significantly. The closest opportunity came in the 62nd minute when Ben Stevens unleashed a stunning shot destined for the top corner, only for Taylor to produce a spectacular save, tipping the ball over the bar.
Rob Sinclair made several changes to energise the team, bringing on Joey Evans, returning from injury, along with Callum Nicolson and Malachi Soile. The substitutions added fresh legs, but the game remained finely balanced. Both sides pushed for a winner, but resolute defending from both teams ensured there were no further goals.
The match ended 1-1, a fair result in an entertaining and closely contested encounter.
The Pirates are next at home on Saturday 7th December, facing Berkhamsted in the league. We will also be hosting a Bitcoin Meetup, starting from 12.00. Tickets for the match are available here.
RBFC: McGregor, Morrell, S. Ward, Longden (Soile 78’), Richardson, Watkins, Jones (Nicolson 80’), Stevens, Galliford (Agemoh-Davies 88’), Setchell, Hitchcock (Evans 72’).
Unused subs: T.Ward.
Real Bedford 1 - 1 Hadley
23rd November, 2024
Kick-off: 3pm
Location: Ledger Stadium
