Basingstokes fans were left to scratch their collective heads and search for reasons why their side was unable to score the goals which would have put this league match beyond the visitors reach even before half-time having dominated virtually from start to finish, instead the Dragons were left empty-handed thanks to an 89th minute wind-assisted thunderbolt from Aaron Cavill and still searching for their first three-point haul of the season.
Francis Vines side picked up where they had left off against Bishops Stortford, and played a measured passing game from the first whistle inspite of blustery conditions at the Camrose. As early as the first minute, James Taylor was denied by Ian Brown in the goal after he intercepted a week header by Lee Howarth back towards his own keeper. Brown dived bravely at the strikers feet to get the crucial block in.
One of the rare sorties by Bedford into the home half produced a free-kick down by the corner flag for Mike Ford, which was swung in underneath the crossbar Stuart Searle palming the ball over in the Basingstoke goal.
That was a temporary diversion from the main direction of traffic throughout the game. The Dragons continued to press for the crucial first goal. Francis Quarm flashed a low drive wide, Taylor then combined with Matt Warner to set up Neville Roach, whose near post volley was well gathered by Brown. Still within the first quarter hour, Jason Bristow was unlucky with a backward header from an Andrew Ottley free-kick which somehow cleared the bar. The best chance of the first period fell to Roach, who had read the weak backpass from Mike Ford, and had a clear run through on goal, only to telegraph his shot at Brown, with only the keeper to beat, and the Bedford shot-stopper got down well to his left to push the ball away.
Just before the half-hour mark, Roach burst past two defenders and drilled low across the face of goal. Typically, from a Basingstoke perspective, the ball got stuck under the legs of Warner, and Ben Sureys follow-up shot was blocked by the visiting defence, who remained committed to keeping their goal intact throughout. Then, another Ottley corner, another agonizing near miss. Bristow flicked on at the near post, and Taylors diving header at the full post was just too much of a stretch, and the striker was unable to direct the ball on target.
Bedford had a good chance of their own after a long ball eluded Joe Bruce, and Cavill stepped up to drive the ball on target. Searle again proved equal to the task gathering at the second attempt after stopping the ball with a strong right hand save.
Things became somewhat heated out of nothing in the moments leading up to the interval. After a foul on Bruce, a melee ensued around James Taylor, who was lying on the floor at the time. A number of players from both sides became involved. When the dust had cleared, the referee booked Bruce, Joe Dolan and Bedfords Gavin Hoyte. The resulting free-kick from Ottley was driven well, and was on target, but Brown produced a fine reflex save to tip the shot over the bar. By now, the first period had moved into stoppage time, but the drama continued right until the half-time whistle. Experienced striker John Lawford was invited to take an early bath in the second minute of additional time after a flailing elbow caught Joe Dolan in front of the referee. The Dragons so nearly made the breakthrough with the last kick of the half. A Warner corner from the right eluded everyone, except for Roach, but the striker was unable to keep his header from inside the six yard box down.
The second half continued in much the same vein. The home side did all the pressing, but the ten-men visitors luck remained intact, as did their goal. Bruce fed Taylor in the opening moments of the half, and the striker swivelled before drilling a low effort which flashed across the face of goal and marginally wide of an upright. There were three more goalmouth flurries in the first quarter hour of the second period around Browns goal. The keeper had to be at his best to push Taylors second effort away on the line, after the strikers first attempt from Warners low centre was blocked by a defender. The striker and Bristow were then thwarted by some brave defending, after Dolan and Bruce had helped Ottleys corner back across to the far post. Lee Howarth then sliced another Ottley corner over his own bar.
Bedfords dogged defending was beginning to put the home side off their stride and it took until the 71st minute for the next good chance for the Dragons. Taylor could only watch as his volley at the second time of asking crashed against the crossbar from a Warner corner which was helped on by Dolan. Basingstoke though continued to press, but failed to hit the target. Quarm burst past a couple of players, but fired just wide of the right-hand upright, and then substitute Mark Peters smashed a low shot on the turn past Browns despairing dive, but found the post in the way.
Increasing frustrations at the home sides inability to convert their numerous chances, meant a nervy finale for the Basingstoke fans, and in the 89th minute, Cavill ensured that they left shellshocked. The Bedford midfielder was allowed to travel unchallenged through the midfield and was still not shut down as he unleashed an unstoppable wind-assisted strike from 25 yards, which flew into the top corner giving Searle no chance much to the glee of the visiting supporters, who were able to celebrate an unlikely victory against the odds. |
