Eagles 1 Boro 0
The Eagles emulated their result from last season, in recording a 1-0 against Radcliffe at the Eyrie on Saturday.
The score may have been a lot higher had it not been for visiting ‘keeper, Tom Donaghy, and a blatant handball not given, as Bedford took the game to their opponents in the opening 45 minutes.
A late 1st half goal gave Bedford a deserved lead going into the break, although the 2nd period proved tense, as Radcliffe came back with much more intent.
Harry Smart made just one change from the side that came away from Shropshire with the points on Bank Holiday Monday, with Anthony Stewart coming in for Greg Taylor; a simple rotation of central defenders.
Donaghy saved his side as early as the seventh minute, when a corner played to the far post was met with a powerful header from Ryan Doherty, forcing the guardian to tip the ball over the bar.
Three more Bedford corners were taken before the ten minute mark.
Counter attacks were all Radcliffe could offer, as Bedford sprayed the ball around with confidence, and Laurie Walker had one of his quieter halves, easily saving from Kyle Hawley on after 20 minutes.
David Hicks couldn’t get a proper header away following another cross, looping the ball into the hands of Donaghy. The Radcliffe ‘keeper then denied Eno Nto, as the Bedford player brought the ball in off the left wing to produce a goal bound shot, but the tips of the fingers deflected the ball off.
The controversy of the handball came just before the half hour, when a cross into the area saw an away player look as though he tripped, and stuck his hand in the air, letting the ball hit it. The whistle, however, stopped the game for a free kick to the visitors, as the referee adjudged the player to have been fouled.
Bedford continued and a combination of Josh Castiglione and George Moncur set up David Hicks, but his tame shot was easily blocked.
Junior Gyamfi then saw his effort go wide, following good work from Lewis Franklin, but a minute later, in the 38th, Gyamfi found the target, when a Bedford attack down the left ended with a square ball from Nto, and the midfielder stroked the ball into the bottom left from the edge of the area. Donaghy then denied Moncur, as he pushed his shot round the post.
The visitors came out for the 2nd half looking like a different team, and it was their turn to take the game by the scruff of the neck, starting with an early corner that Walker collected.
Another corner a couple of minutes later saw Castiglione release Moncur, who took the ball ¾ of the pitch before shooting, but Callum McFadzean had tracked back to get a foot to the ball.
Tom Davies then tried for Radcliffe, from the edge of the area, but put the ball wide.
As Radcliffe piled on the pressure, the defence kept tight, with Anthony Stewart directing operations.
Walker made a great save as he pushed a shot away from Tyler James, after the substitute had got clear of the defence.
As the clock ticked down, Walker launched the ball downfield for Hicks, who took it to the right corner of the area, but fired just wide.
Bedford kept their composure as the clock wound down, to record a third win in a row, and put the side into the playoff positions.
