The Eagles’ overturned a setback to eventually lead, and beat King’s Lynn Town 2-1 at the Eyrie on Saturday, thus progressing to the 3rd qualifying round in the Emirates FA Cup for the first time since 2009.
Showing a tighter formation all over the pitch, the players kept their heads up after going 1-0 down to lead at the break, as Louie Kudiabor - with his first goal in a blue shirt, and George Moncur produced the final touches to send the side into the next round.
Harry Smart made three changes to the side beaten at Spalding the week before, with Greg Taylor, Tarik Gidaree, and T’Sharne Gallimore coming into the starting line up.
Five minutes into the game, Gidaree was on the receiving end of a yellow card for a foul on Jesse Nwabueze, and the visitors nearly made the resulting free kick play when a goalward looking header was deflected away for a corner.
The defence felt the pressure in the early exchanges, and apart from a wayward volley from Josh Castiglione, King’s Lynn looked more likely to make an impact.
The metaphorical warning shot across the bows came on 13 minutes, with a ferocious shot from Layton Love that just cleared the bar.
Two minutes later, Nwabueze, who showed a propensity in going to ground throughout the match, came inside the area off the left flank, and invited a challenge from Gallimore that resulted in a penalty. The same player got up to take the spot kick, and sent Laurie Walker the wrong way to give the visitors the lead.
Walker then made an instinctive save from a close range shot, following Ryan Tunnicliffe’s long throw, and this led to Bedford’s equaliser, just five minutes after going behind.
The ball was played upfield via the left wing, and a cross from Eno Nto to the edge of the area found Kudiabor on his own, and he didn’t hesitate to hit the ball into the bottom right corner of the net.
The Linnets came back with a free kick from about 22 yards out, resulting in Walker making a great save to push the ball round the post from Nwabueze’s kick.
Two King’s Lynn corners came and went, as Bedford soaked up the pressure, but could have scored with a corner of their own, when Moncur set up Nto, but the latter player put the ball just wide.
With five minutes of the half remaining, Moncur went on a run down the left, diverted into the area, and shot from an angle, forcing Ronnie Hollingshead to save at his near post. A speculative shot from Tom Scott was then saved by Walker.
The Eagles took the lead in the 44th minute, after the referee waved away protestations from Nwabueze that he had been fouled by Gidaree, who took the ball to the right byline, and crossed to the far side, where Moncur was lurking, and he controlled the ball before firing into the bottom right of the net.
The last action of the half saw Walker scrabbling the ball away from a venomous shot from Scott.
If the home contingent expected a 2nd half onslaught from the visitors, it never came, as the game became more open.
Five minutes in, Gallimore set up half time substitute, David Hicks, and he forced Hollingshead to tip the ball over the bar, before punching the corner ball away, but only to Greg Taylor, whose shot was blocked by a defender.
Midway through the half, Hollingshead denied Castiglione’s long range effort, by pushing the ball round the post.
Later into the game, a fortunate rebound allowed Carlton Ubaezuonu a chance to shoot from the edge of the area. Walker saved, but couldn’t hold onto the ball, and a defender swept up with a clearance.
With time running out, Bedford countered a King’s Lynn corner, as Finley Wilkinson ran three quarters of the pitch to take the ball out of harms way. He squared to Hicks, on the edge of the area, and forced Hollingshead to save the resulting effort.
A minute on, and Walker saved Nwabueze’s free kick, then Ryan Doherty made to defensive headers to deny any equaliser following a corner.
With just three minutes of normal time to play, the visitors were reduced to ten men, when Aaron Jones was adjudged to have had his boot too high in a challenge with Hicks, who needed treatment.
As added time came along, the threat from King’s Lynn lessened, and Hollingshead made a save from Reece Evans.
For the first time in 17 years, Bedford could enjoy the draw for the 3rd qualifying round.
