The Eagles brought the main prize back from North Yorkshire on Saturday, winning 2-1 at Scarborough Athletic. A great set-piece free kick in the 1st half, and a penalty later in the game, secured the three points over a captivating 90 minutes, with both sides having to contend with the increasing wind and rain, especially in the 2nd half.
Harry Smart made two changes from the last game, with Reece Evans coming in up front, and new loanee, Danny Anisjko starting on the wing.
An early corner for the hosts prompted a bout of head tennis, with Tarik Gidaree and Alfie Thornett getting involved before the ball was cleared.
David Hicks was the main man for early Bedford efforts, shooting just wide of the left hand post when set up by Gidaree from the left wing, a blocked shot, and a curler from the rebound that just cleared the woodwork. The last two resulted from a corner that Lewis Franklin had no right to win, as he chased a long ball to the right byline to force a defending interception.
Bedford had had the better of play, and took the lead on 14 minutes with a free kick just on the edge of the area, to the right of the D, when Luke Hall received a yellow card for bringing down George Moncur. As three players lined up for the kick, Moncur stepped over, and Joe Payne hit a low one past the wall to end up nestling in the bottom left of the net.
Hicks had another go midway through the half, but skied the ball over the bar.
Coming back into the game, the home side forced two quick corners, with Laurie Walker catching the second one.
A counter on 25 minutes saw a pass to Luke Hall with the defence stretched. As he entered the area, his shot was blocked by Hicks.
The Seadogs kept up the pressure, and a corner a minute later was defended. Two minutes on, another corner to the home side produced the goods, as William Thornton rose to head into the top left corner of the net.
In the ascendancy, Scarborough looked to turn the score round with another corner, but the Bedford defence kept tight.
As the half strolled on, another free kick to Bedford, in virtually the same place as the the earlier one, was also taken by Payne, and although he beat the wall, Ryan Whitley got down to save.
With a minute remaining, Josh Castiglione released Franklin down the right. The wing back cut in to the area, forcing Whitley to save.
Just before the break, Hall had to go off after clashing with T’Sharne Gallimore, as both players went for the same ball.
The increasing intensity of the wind probably made the earlier exchanges more tentative. Gidaree latched onto a free kick to try his luck, and Whitley saved.
With 60 minutes gone, an audacious corner from Luca Colville used the conditions to his advantage, and nearly succeeded, as the ball, caught by the wind, grazed the crossbar before spinning off.
A free kick then found Mo Fadera, but the substitute headed wide of the mark.
Moncur was then denied by a good save from Whitley, after Anisjko had fed the ball from the left wing. The resulting corner fell at the feet of Hicks, on the edge of the area, and he elected to push the ball further into the danger zone, allowing a defender to clear.
Walker had to be alert on 75 minutes, when an uncharacteristic, wayward pass from Franklin allowed Fadera a clear sight of goal, homing in on goal before unleashing a shot that the Bedford ‘keeper had to fingertip over the bar.
Alexander Wiles then went close for the home side, but saw his effort go past the post.
From the goal kick, the ball allowed Franklin to race into the area on the right side, with just Whitley to beat, but was upended by Thornton, who was lucky to only receive a yellow card.
Moncur stepped up for the penalty kick, and struck the ball past Whitley for his ninth goal of the season.
Bedford had ten minutes plus added time to defend the lead.
A Scarborough free kick caused problems in the Bedford defence, and Walker was forced to claw the ball away, before Thornton tried to shoot on the turn, putting the ball off.
On 89 minutes, Wiles received a yellow card for simulation with a blatant dive in the Bedford area.
As five minutes added time came, the home side kept up the pressure, winning corners and drawing free kicks, and the Bedford defence held firm every time.
At the final whistle, the Eagles had arrested a three game run without a win to move into ninth position.