Basford United 3-1 Bedford Town (Southern League Central Division) 08.11.22
Tyreace Palmer scored with only his second touch as United returned to winning ways with a 3-1 win over 10-man Bedford Town at Greenwich Avenue on Tuesday night.
Luther Munakandafa had put the hosts in front only for Afolabi Soyemi-Oloade to equalise five minutes after the break.
Substitute Palmer then fired under Alex Street late on before Courey Grantham sealed the win with a lovely effort from range.
Charley Sanders was then dismissed for an elbow on the hour before the two late strikes sealed maximum points.
Town started brightly and the lively Connor Tomlinson combined with Sanders to force Kieran Preston into a duo of smart saves within the first ten minutes.
Josh Barnes then cleared off the line following a well-worked corner routine.
Anthony Dwyer found himself in behind but was denied by an excellent save from Street and the ‘keeper again thwarted – this time as Gregg Smith was about to nod home the resultant corner into an empty net.
Town weren’t without chances, however, and Diadier Camara found Preston in a spirited mood when he was denied by a strong hand one-on-one before Tomlinson was thwarted by United’s number one with 28 minutes played.
And it proved to be influential up the other end when a smart, free-flowing mood saw Mark Clifford’s men go one up.
A throw down the right allowed Adam Chapman to orchestrate and his neat pass between the lines was perfect for Munakandafa to take into his stride and slot below Street for a deserved opener.
Seconds later and it could have been two when Grantham volleyed on site, this time Street was equal to it, parrying over with a strong fist as United lead at the half.
More often than not, United began their second halves well, but it was Bedford who equalised five minutes after the restart.
Escaping a viable handball shout, the home side could do little to prevent Soyemi-Oloade from drawing the sides level when he acrobatically found the bottom corner.
Sam Dreyer then looked to have completed the turnaround for Town, but again Preston denied a blue shirt with a smart save down to his right before a game-defining moment.
Challenging for a high punt up field, Sanders and Stern Irvine came together and the striker appeared to have flailed an elbow in the direction of the defender who was visibly bloody.
Amid the protests, referee Richard Eley sent Sanders for an early bath for despite their lengthy appeal.
Moments later, Preston saved his best ‘till last when he denied Tomlinson once more with a superb stop before Dwyer – unusually quiet – raced through but was denied Callum Donnelly.
Chapman then stung the hands of Street from range and an inspired substitution then yielded immediate results.
Replacing Munakandafa, Palmer picked up a neat pass from Grantham and, with time and precision, took aim before lashing under the ‘keeper and into the far corner for his sixth of the season.
And the win was rounded off in some style minutes before the close when a loose clearance from Street found the lying-in-wait Grantham who curled the ball back over the stranded defenders and into the far corner from all of 30-yards.
Next up, United host Market Needham on Saturday (November 12), 3pm.
Basford United: Preston; McGowan, Roma, Irvine; Chapman, Munakandafa (Palmer 81’), Dunn (Clark 74’), Barnes, Grantham; Smith, Dwyer.
*Article provided by Marc Williams (Basford United Correspondent).
*Main image @Basfordutd Tyreace Palmer amongst the Basford goals.
