Playoff place secured.

We have been here before.

And won.

Who can forget last season’s Play-Off Semi-Final victory against Harborough Town?

To get here at all given the exciting, exilerating and emotional season we have had, in some respects we are winners already.

However, we have won nothing as yet.

90+ minutes will define our season.

We’ve beaten The Pirates twice in the league.

Today is a one-off game.

We need your support.

We have earned the right to dare to dream.

Let’s go.

And win.

COYP!

Kettering Town secured their playoff place with a 0-1 away victory at league newcomers Bury Town who had not yet packed their bags for the beach in a keenly contested last game of the season. Despite wins for Halesowen Town

The Pirates had a comfortable 1-3 away win on Saturday against mid table Bromsgrove Sporting having already secured third place last week. Real Bedford have only lost twice in their past ten matches and have been in the top five since the turn of the year. In their past five games The Pirates have achieved four wins (1-3 versus Bromsgrove; 3-2 against Alvechurch; 1-4 away at Redditch United and 4-0 against Bishop’s Stortford) and a single defeat (0-1 at home to Leiston). These results leave Real Bedford, managed by Rob Sinclair, with a third place finish on eighty-one points with nine points separating the teams. In the form league, The Pirates are top over the past five games taking twelve points from a possible fifteen and in the comparative home standings, reside in sixth place taking twenty-one points from twenty-one games.

Saturday’s win continues KTFC’s positive form having lost only twice in their last eighteen games and in our last five matches achieved two wins (0-1 at Bury Town and 2-1 at home against Worcester City) together with two draws (1-1 at home to Redditch United and 0-0 versus Halesowen Town) and a 0-2 defeat away to Stratford Town scoring four and conceding four.

Kettering are twelfth in the form league, taking eight points from a possible fifteen in our past five matches and are fourth in the overall away table with thirty-three points from twenty-one games. With a number of minor injuries from Saturday’s game, The Poppies are expected to have the squad available for today’s critical game.

Last time out, the Poppies defeated the Pirates at Ledger Park 0-2 with goals from Lobjoit and Lewis which replicated the win at Latimer Park in April where goals from Eddie Panter and Will Van Lier secured a 2-1 victory.

Two teams in good form after great run-in performances. Real Bedford have home advantage and go into the semi-final having strong momentum following their recent winning streak. Josh Allen is their leading goals scorer with twenty-nine to date and will be a serious threat. Nevertheless, this is a one off game and the Poppies will have to be laser focussed to manage a well organised and disciplined Real side. The Pirates will not relish playing the Poppies and whilst we may not be expecting a PSG vs Bayern Munich 5-4 outcome, it will be a tight and tense affair.

So, let’s get behind Liam and the team for this season’s defining match.

Good luck to Spalding United and Halesowen Town in the other semi-final today.

Enjoy the game.

REAL BEDFORD

Season        V        Comp           F-A     Att:    Poppies Scorers

2024-25        A        Friendly       2-2     203     Hart, (Trialist – Sherif)

2025-26        H        PISLPC        2-1     1439   Van Lier, Panter (p)

                     A        PISLPC        2-0     1084   Lobjoit, Lewis

Played for both clubs (1)                                                    

Sam Cartwright.

Real Bedford players sent off v Kettering Town (1)

Archie Jones           23:08:25 (a)

REAL BEFORD – THE LAST 4 SEASONS

     LEAGUE       P        W       D        L        F        A    PTS    POS

2025-26        PISLPC        42       24       9        9    84      47    81      3^rd

2024-25        PISLD1C      40       33       5        2        129     33    104     1^st

2023-24        SSMLP         36       28       7        1        117     24    91       1^st

2022-23        SSML1         38       32       3        3        123     29    99       1^st

REAL BEDFORD

Manager                           Rob Sinclair

Ground                             Ledger Stadium

Nickname                         The Pirates

Position in League           3^rd – 81 points

Top League scorer           28 – Josh Allen

FORM LAST 5

POPPIES                          LWWDW      10pts

POPPIES (AWAY)            DWWLW      10pts

Pirates                            WWLWW      12pts

Pirates (home)                DWWLW      10pts

REAL BEDFORD – RESULTS