The Eagles produced a clinical display to see off league leaders and previously unbeaten, Bromsgrove Sporting, on Saturday afternoon. Bedford have just been on the end of one defeat in the last nine matches and won their third game in a row, after Saturday’s resounding 5-1 victory at the Eyrie. Jermaine Osei’s brace gave him four goals in two matches, whilst Paul Benson helped himself to another for the season, Dean Dummett scored a first ever league goal for Town, and also another first goal for Bedford came from recent signing, Nathan Frater.
The win propelled Bedford up three places to third, and just four points off Bromsgrove, and with a game in hand.
Jon Taylor was still without Kyle Forster (knee), Callum Donnelly (suspended), Mason Watkins-Clark (recovering from operation), and James Peters (ankle), and had more worries when Ashton Grant got injured in the warm up, and had to be replaced in the starting XI.
In the 1st half, Niall Cooper saw more action than his counterpart at the other end of the field, and as expected, Bromsgrove looked dangerous on attack. Early chances were few for either side. Gavin Hoyte headed wide, then had to use all his experience at the other end when Jason Cowley ran through to slide in and put the striker off. Joel Gyasi was given free rein to run at the visiting defence, and his pace gave both left and right backs a lot of trouble. Midway through the half, Cooper made two good saves, conceding a corner with each, as he got down to palm the ball away.
Just before the opening goal, Bromsgrove had a purple patch. Cowley headed against the post, following a free kick, then a minute or so later, John Pykett’s effort came off the foot of the right hand post, and travelled across goal before Brett Longden got enough of a clearance away.
At the other end, Gyasi was forever looking for a gap in the defence, and when found he played the ball through to whoever was going to receive it. This occasion, it was Osei, as he outpaced his marker, but played the ball into the oncoming Daniel Crane.
Although it was against the run of play, Gyasi started the move that led to the first Bedford goal, in the 39th minute. Taking control on the half way line, he threaded the ball through to Osei. A quick pass to Craig Daniel, became a well timed cross to the far post from the midfielder, and Benson came in to stab the ball home from close range.
The second Bedford goal wasn’t long in coming, as three minutes later a corner - given away by an awful back header from a defender - from the left went to Dean Dummett, and from inside the area, Dummett fired a shot into the top left corner of the net.
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Speculation for the 2nd half was a defensive formation from the home side, but it was never going to happen. within five minutes of the restart, Crane had to be alert to push a Benson header away.
Osei then had another one on one with Crane, and although he rounded the ‘keeper, was too much at an angle and put his shot against the side netting.
Bedford went 3-0 up in the 61st minute. Gyasi won the ball on the halfway line before Matty Harriott took up the slack to play a ball over the defence. Osei muscled his marker away before electing to slot the ball past Crane.
Then came three goals in three minutes. The Eagles added a fourth in the 77th minute, and Gyasi was at the centre of the play again, as he released Nathan Frater through the hapless Bromsgrove defence. Frater ran to the edge of the area and with Crane having to come out, placed the ball past the ‘keeper and into the bottom right of the net. A minute later Cowley curled a shot past Cooper from the edge of the area, and another minute later, Frater turned provider for Osei, as the defence was breached again, and Crane having to try and make the goal as small as possible, was beaten by another well placed shot.
report courtesy of Roger Worsley - Bedford Town |