Real Bedford  v  Kettering Town

Pitching in Southern League Premier Division Central

Saturday  23rd August 2025   3:00 pm

Referee: Jamie Stevenson       Assistants:  William Doyle  and David Morrison

Kettering would be looking to continue their winning ways on their second road trip of the season a short journey down the A6 to Bedford. Real Bedford, the second team in Bedford, has the distinct advantage of being owned by a millionaire with the stated intent to take his team to the Premiership one day. One can only smile and recall what happened to another team sited on the A6 south of Kettering. Champions of the Southern League Central Division last year, they opened their account at the higher level with an opening day home win over big summer spenders Spalding United. They followed this with a goalless draw at Needham Market and a 3-2 defeat at Halesowen despite twice taking the lead. Therefore, they would be keen to get back on track by plundering the points from one the divisions heavyweights.

With a view to a quick turnaround, with only 48 hours before entertaining another summer big spender Harborough Town at Latimer Park on Monday afternoon, Simon Hollyhead would carefully marshal his squad. With Levi Andoh still unavailable due to injury the back three would be unchanged from the Barwell game. In midfield, Shane Flynn and Finley Corrigan would drop to the bench being replaced in the starting XI by Andi Thanoj and Brandon Barker. Up front fit again Leon Lobjoit would see the striker return, just a long kick away from where he had fine 2024-25 season to pair Nile Ranger up front. Jamar Loza with a slight injury concern would take the spot on the bench vacated by the departure of Lewis White to Spalding. Reserve keeper Josh Humphrey  was in attendance sporting a plaster cast on his wrist.

One ex-Poppy lined up for Real Bedford, centre-half Sam Cartwright who played 10 games in the ill-fated tenure of Nicky Eaden, scoring once and being sent off once.

The day was overcast but warm with negligible wind. The pitch looked exceptionally good flat, lush and green helped but an efficient built in sprinkler system, unlike the PA system, which apart from an extensive heavy metal playlist before kick-off was not utilised during or after the game with no announcements regarding goals, substitutions or attendance figure.

Kettering kicked off playing in their new blue and white hooped away shirts and blue shorts with Real Bedford in old gold shirts and black shorts resembling Wolverhampton Wanderers. The visitors started the game passing with confidence denying Bedford a touch of the ball and inside the second minute won a throw-in deep inside Real’s half. With Kettering sending both Glennon and Forsyth into the penalty area, Bedford did likewise pulling everyone back leaving no player up field for an out ball. Archie Crowther launched a long throw into the box where it was met by the head of a defender who, mistiming his jump, was not high enough to head the ball, but merely flicked it backwards into the middle of the goal where it travelled untouched towards the far post but out of reach of Lobjoit. Leon scrambled to gain control of the ball and turn it back into the crowded goalmouth but only succeeded in sending it high into the air and behind for a goal-kick. 

Two minutes later, Andi Thanoj sent Oppong breaking down the right wing. Eddie delivered a good looking cross into the middle but it was well cleared by the defence. Shortly after, Alexander was out of his box to clear the ball clear in front of a Real forward. The clearance was straight to the feet of Barker who flicked the ball outside to Connor Stanley who drove forward down the opposite wing before slipping the ball inside to Lobjoit who sent the ball towards Ranger at the far post. Nile ,under pressure from Davies, failed to make contact on the ball just a few yards from goal.

Real responded with their first real attack of the game when Setchell and Jones linked up well to overwhelm Stanley but Setchell’s low cross was cut out by Alexander. After ten minutes, the game produced it is first corner when Oppong tracking back opted for safety first and put the ball behind. The set piece was delivered into the middle but Jason dominated his area punching the ball clear off the head of Ranger.

After the first five minutes, being all Kettering, Real showed that they were not there just to make up the numbers and attacked well down Kettering’s right. Conor Tee cut inside from the wing but his long-range shot was blocked by a defender but the rebound was collected by a Bedford player who fed the ball back to Stevens who fired in an accurate low shot. Alexander was equal to it though diving to his right and pushing away a knee-high shot around the post with a fine save. Jason cleanly caught the resulting corner.

The very next minute, Real would be made to pay for casual play. McGregor, in attempting to clear the ball, sent the ball into touch deep inside his own half. The throw into the box was met by the head of Richardson who tried to head the ball to Davies but his header lacked both power and accuracy and Lobjoit latched onto the loose ball in a flash. Davies trying to recover the situation was out turned by the forward who moved inside from the corner of the penalty area. As Richardson and Watkins moved to close him down Leon fired a curling shot aimed between the two defenders. It caught McGregor unsighted and wrong-footed, looking on helplessly as the ball curled beyond him striking the inside of the far post and into the net.  1-0 Kettering 13 mins

Just after the quarter hour mark, a good passing move by Kettering involving Crowther, Lewis, Barker and Thanoj saw the ball moved out to the wing and Stanley. Connor rounded his marker and sent a low ball into the middle. Lobjoit tightly marked could only touch the ball forward to Ranger a couple of yards out. As he pulled his leg back to poke the ball home a last second foot in from Cartwright pushed the ball away from Nile. Stanley collected the loose ball and fed it back to Barker but his floated ball towards the far post went behind untouched.

Real were looking for a way back into the game and Richardson carried the ball out of defence and looked to have got past Kettering’s back line with a good one two with Setchell but the defender was flagged offside.

After twenty minutes play, the game got it is first yellow card. Crowther trying to play the ball out of defence completely miss hit his pass sending it to the feet of Richardson. He sent the ball out to Tee, Bedford’s big summer signing, on the overlap who looked to race past the defender before Archie took him clumsily down. The resulting free kick was taken short to Tee who fired in a stinging shot for Alexander to produce another good save turning the waist high ball behind away to his left for a corner which came to nothing.

Real were testing Kettering’s defence now and won two corners in quick succession. The second was collected by Stanley deep inside his own half. Facing his own goal with no out ball but with a beautiful piece of skill he managed to turn the player closing him down and not only clear the ball but set Oppong free down the right wing. Watkins looked like he was going to bring Eddie down on the halfway line but the Kettering player was too quick for him to get close. Jones was chasing back and made a do or die tackle getting the ball but also the player. It was right in front of the Assistant Referee who flagged immediately for the foul which left Oppong on the ground requiring treatment and Jones receiving a yellow card. The resulting free kick came to nothing.

Three minutes later, Stanley once again got past the right back and delivered a cross into the penalty area where four blue shirts waited but the ball fell to a gold shirt and was headed clear. With under fifteen minutes left in the half, Real had a good chance to equalise. Conor Tee made a good break down the Kettering right assisted by the slowed Oppong, before playing a delightful angled low cross into the box. It passed the outstretched foot of Forsyth and arrived at the lunging Jones but such was his stretch to reach the ball that he could only get a toe under the ball and lift it over the bar from 5 yards out.

With ten minutes to go in the half, Thanoj set Oppong down the wing after advancing he cut inside getting the better of Tee and struck a shot from just outside the penalty area but sent it high and wide.

Five minutes later, a good passing move by Kettering came to a halt as Stanley broke into the Real penalty area and tried to go between two defenders. Connor went down after appearing to be pushed with an arm across his chest barring his progress but any penalty appeals were ignored by Mr Stevenson.

Real finished the half strongly with Oppong once again called into defensive duties and forced to concede a corner. The ball was played long and was cleared by Lewis. Bedford retained possession and Tee attacked down Kettering’s right. With everyone expecting the ball to be lifted into the area, the winger took a shot but it was an easy catch for Alexander. As time expired a poor clearance from Glennon went straight to a Real player in midfield the ball was played out wide and the Real player rounded Glennon and teed up Stevens some 10 yards out who saw his shot be blocked by Lewis preventing a certain goal before being hacked away by Glennon. Shortly after, the Referee called a halt with two additional minutes having been played.

    Half Time:  Real Bedford  0  Kettering Town 1 

Kettering made two changes at half time with Wes York and Shane Flynn replacing Eddie Oppong who had taken a knock in the first half and Brandon Barker.

Kettering started brightly but Bedford had the first chance of the second half only denied by a great last-ditch challenge by Glennon on Setchell as the Real player raced past Flynn. The forward had taken a knock and remained on the floor as play continued before Thanoj played the ball into touch to allow the injured player to receive treatment.

With fifty-one minutes played, Kettering had their first real attack of the second half played York got past the left back and delivered a pinpoint cross on to the head of Lobjoit. Leon perhaps should have done better with the opening having time to consider his options but the ball appeared to bounce off his head and loop up and over the bar onto the roof of the net.

A minute later and Real were architects of their own downfall again. Playing the ball out from their own penalty area captain Watkins was guilty of a woeful pass cross-field to no-one in particular. Stanley picked up the loose ball and pressed forwards. Faced by Ward and Watkins Connor tried to go past them. Ward stuck a foot in kicking the ball against Stanley’s shin which then broke forward to the unmarked Lewis who picked his spot to curl the ball into the opposite side of the goal with McGregor beaten.   2-0 Kettering 53 mins

Real’s  tough position became even harder when two minutes later Jones was rightfully sent off. It was a tackle that he did not have to make but it was a poor pass from Jones which Crowther had intercepted and born out of frustration he made a lunging tackle on Archie catching him squarely on the ankle. Coupled with his booking for his first half foul on Oppong, he was dismissed but there was a good case for it being a straight red rather than two yellows. Richardson remonstrated with Mr Stevenson but the tackle left him with no alternative.

With over thirty- five minutes to go, Kettering set about closing out the game trying to save themselves for Monday’s game. Kettering would make the extra man count passing the ball with ease seeking out the spare player.

On the hour mark, Kettering worked the ball wide to Flynn who lifted a lazy ball into the box it was met by an equally languid clearance by Cartwright which had plenty of height but little distance. It was falling to a Real player but the tigerish Stanley robbed the ball of him and bore down on goal before firing in a shot which McGregor had to get down sharply to prevent a third.

The next minute Real made their first substitution, a double one with Evans and Watkins making way for Weyman and Allen. Richardson took over the captain’s armband.

York won a corner after sixty-two minutes. Taken by Lobjoit, he picked out Crowther but Archie put his effort wide. Three minutes later, Kettering were given a warning when Real broke down Kettering’s right but the ball into the open Tee was skied high and wide.

With twenty minutes to go, Kettering were awarded a free kick some 25 yards out following a foul on Lobjoit. Glennon lined up the kick and  fired it in. The keeper stopped it but was unable to hold on to it only for Lobjoit to rush  in for the rebound but he could only head it over the bar. Real were still dangerous and responded immediately with a surge forward by Setchell but his rasping shot was rising all the time and passed narrowly over the bar. Before the restart Kettering made a double substitution with Jamar Loza replacing Nile Ranger and Fin Corrigan, Leon Lobjoit.

Five minutes later, Real made another double substitution with Setchell and Richardson making way for Tom Hitchcock and Ty Ward. From the restart, another defensive mistake almost gifted Kettering a third. Cartwright inside his own penalty area took an age over picking his pass and was rushed by Loza. The Real centre-back hurriedly tried to get rid of the ball but only managed to send the ball into Jamar and the ball rebounded to Corrigan. Fin played the ball forward to Jamar who took the ball into the box before trying to beat the keeper at his near post. McGregor managed to get his left heel to the ball sending it onto the post. Corrigan was following the ball in but the rebound was not kind to him and he had to reach behind him to reach the ball and only managed to send his touch into the side netting.

With twelve minutes to go, Kettering made their final substitution with Kai Fifield replacing Connor Stanley in a straight swap. Two minutes later, Real made their final swap with Conor tee being replaced by Issac Galliford.

With eight minutes remaining Corrigan threaded a great ball for Loza to run onto leaving Jamar one-on-one against McGregor. Loza took the ball around the keeper and looked to slot the ball into the open net when a sliding Cartwright managed to throw himself into the path of the ball and save a certain goal. Jamar collected the rebound and circled around to try again and narrowly put the ball past the far post.

A couple of minutes later, Bedford spurned another chance for a consolation goal when a forward opted to play the ball across the goal for a colleague rather than chance his arm by taking a shot of his own. Of some concern to the Kettering supporters was an injury to Forsyth that required the captain to receive treatment but he was able to continue with no substitutes available.

As the game entered the final minute, Real had a shot through Stevens but it was straight at Alexander. With six minutes additional time to be played, Shaheim Ward chanced his arm with an audacious attempt from the halfway line which Alexander had to be alert to preserve his clean sheet.

   Full Time: Real Bedford  0   Kettering Town  2 

Kettering’s good start continues with a win at a tricky opponent. Kettering controlled the game for extended periods but Real had the majority of the chances in the first half but failed to take any of them allowing the visitors to play well within themselves looking to keep their powder dry for Harborough. Bedford were let down by defensive sloppiness with both Kettering’s goal coming from gifts from defenders giving up possession.

Real Bedford yellow cards:   Jones – foul     2^nd yellow/red Jones  – foul

Kettering Town yellow cards:  Crowther – foul                                                                       

Attendance: 1084

Kettering Town Man-of-the-Match – Andi Thanoj – Andi had a good game but Bedford gave him time to be able to show his talent for controlling the game with measured passes. Along with this he showed tenacity to win the ball back by sharp tackling when the situation demanded. An honourable mention must be made of the performance by Jason Alexander with his second clean sheet. His two exceptionally good saves in the first half, the first when it was still 0-0, prevented Real from taking control and the second to deny them an equaliser.