The Eagles and Cray Wanderers will have to replay after this much anticipated, Emirates FA Cup 4th qualifying round tie ended goalless.
The match in itself wasn’t much to write home about, but had pockets of action, plus two disallowed goals that warranted mention.
Harry Smart made three changes to the side that narrowly lost out to Chester the week previously. Most notable was the absence of Junior Gyamfi; still limping about after getting stretchered off against the Cheshire side.
The start of the game showed promise, as Bedford had the first attack, when a throw into the area tested the away defence.
The visitors then won a corner, with Laurie Walker punching the ball out, then saving a shot when it was played back.
Eno Nto then played forward for George Moncur, who in turn fed Josh Castiglione, but the Bedford captain delayed having a go, but lost out when trying to find a better position.
There were a few cards dished out during the game, and astonishingly when a card seemed appropriate, it never came. Nto was bundled into the hoardings near the Bedford dugout, prompting a melee. The referee spoke to a few people, and that was it.
Briefly down to ten men, and from the resulting free kick, the last touch came from David Hicks, as he couldn’t keep his shot down.
Walker then made a good one handed save as Sammi McLeod fired in from the edge of the area.
Ten minutes after treatment, after another challenge, Nto couldn’t carry on, with Tarik Gidaree replacing him.
Just before the half hour mark, the home side thought they had scored, when a Moncur shot looked to have come off the post, and in off Jasper Briggs. The referee gave a goal kick, as the ball had gone off, rebounding back on via a wheel attached to the goal.
As half time closed in, Moncur mazed into the area, and forced a save off Briggs with his effort.
At the other end, from a Cray corner, Walker had to scoop the ball away after McLeod’s looping header.
The last action of the half saw Walker punching away a free kick.
The visitors looked more likely to score in the next 45 minutes, and early on wasted their corners.
A series of passes then opened the defence, and when the ball came over, Soul Kader headed wide.
Despite the possession, the visitors weren’t getting far, and with seven minutes of normal time remaining, Walker pushed a curling Frankie Raymond shot round the post, completing the job by catching the resulting corner.
From this, Cray thought they had scored when Walker tried to kick the ball upfield, and it came off the close, Ade Yusuff to bounce into the net. The referee blew for a free kick to Bedford, and it seems he was too close, prompting an interpretation of the law.
The away side could have won the game with two minutes left, as a free kick was awarded on the edge of the Bedford area, but Raymond skied it over the bar.
The game; tetchy at times, with a few yellow cards handed out, including goalkeeping coach, Gareth Davies, ended as a stalemate.