Bedford Town were left heartbroken by Tom Allan’s 95th-minute winner, as Darlington won a topsy turvy National League North game 4-3 at The Eyrie on Saturday (29 November).
In a clash that finished in controversial fashion, Bedford Town had fought back from going 2-1 down inside 17 minutes to lead 3-2 come the 90th, only for a Cedric Main penalty and Allan’s clincher to swing the pendulum permanently in favour of the Quakers.
The game was preceded by a minute’s silence in tribute to former Bedford Town chairman and lifelong volunteer, Mike John who recently passed away.
Read: Bedford Town pays tribute to former Chairman and lifelong volunteer Mike John
What transpired would be a game for the ages, although the Eagles fell on the wrong side of a 4-3 home defeat for the second time this season, drifting ever closer to the National League North relegation zone in doing so.
The game began at breakneck speed, setting up what would turn into a classic, as Bedford Town found themselves in front in fortuitous fashion after just six minutes.
Josh Phillips was released for the first of many forays forward, and his low cross was inadvertently turned into his own net by Tye Barton, past stranded goalkeeper, Peter Jameson on his 200th appearance for Darlington.
Chances for the excellent Will McGowan and Bedford’s captain, Junior Gyamfi followed before Darlington hit back with a soft equaliser.
A short corner from McGowan was played short to Charlie Lennon, who proceeded to lay it back to McGowan to fire home into the roof of the net, with blue shirts too slow to react.
The game was turned on its head just moments later; a Darlington counter attack led by Cedric Main found Aiden Rutledge who was brilliantly stopped in his tracks first by Ryan Doherty, and then a flying save from Ashmore.
But Bedford’s defence could do nothing about the rebound that fell to the feet of Max Howells, who slotted home down the middle to give play-off chasing Darlington a 2-1 lead after just 17 minutes.
Both sides continued to trade punches; Phillips saw a header simply saved by Jameson while another counter attack almost spelt more trouble for the Eagles, only for Lennon to fire his finish straight at Ashmore.
A piece of ingenuity from Greg Taylor almost fashioned an equaliser out of nothing, but saw his lob loop just over Jameson’s crossbar, before Gyamfi played Phillips in on goal only for the winger to be smothered by the visiting shot stopper.
The Eagles finished the half in positive fashion with chances for Ellis Brown, who curled an effort narrowly over, as well as for the otherwise subdued Marsh who saw an effort blocked as he was on the verge of pulling the trigger.
Red card changes game
The first half procession of chances continued on into the second half, and McGowan continued to be at the forefront of the Darlington attacks, but within seven minutes, the complexion of the game changed with a red card for the visitors.
Toby Lees’ high challenge on Greg Sandiford earned him a second yellow card, leaving Darlington to play almost 40 minutes with ten men, and it looked for a long time as if it would come back to haunt them.
By the hour mark, Bedford Town were level again thanks to debutant, Jago Godden and moments later, they should have been ahead as a Sandiford cross found a free Connor Barratt at the back post, only for the defender to volley over from six yards.
Darlington continued to drop deeper, as Bedford found the confidence to continue going at them, and their enterprise was rewarded six minutes from time thanks to Ellis Brown.
Another Phillips cross was diverted clear, but only to Brown whose goal bound effort took a wicked deflection into the roof of the net to seemingly seal a confidence-boosting victory against the former Football League Club.
Darlington however had other ideas.
Dramatic finish
While the Eagles faithful were serenading their side, Darlington were not done, and they were controversially awarded an 89th minute penalty.
A rasping McGowan shot hit a Bedford shirt in the melee of bodies inside the area, but the referee adjudged it had struck an arm and duly pointed to the spot.
Cedric Main planted the spot kick into the top corner to level once again at 3-3 with injury time approaching, but no one would foresee the Quakers stealing all three points in the fashion that they did.
Both Barrett and Marsh had half chances at the other end to kill the Darlington comeback dead, but it was Steve Watson’s men who would break Eagles hearts.
Main was released down the right wing and whipped in a delicious cross on to the head of Tom Allan, who directed a header in off Nathan Ashmore’s far post to send the impressive away support behind the goal into raptures.
Bedford Town were left to rue the controversy that had opened the door for the visitors, lamenting their fifth league loss in six games, while Darlington rise to fourth at the other end of the National League North table.
Lee Bircham’s men are back on the road next Saturday (6 December) as they travel to another play-off hopeful in Scarborough, before resuming Bedfordshire Cup action against tenants, Biggleswade FC.
