Real Bedford fought back from 3-2 down in injury time to secure a stunning 4-3 victory at struggling Alvechurch to avoid back-to-back league shocks and remain third in Southern League Premier Central.
Real fought back from 2-0 and 3-2 down in a turbulent game, and while Conor Tee thought he had grabbed a point with a 93rd minute equaliser for the Pirates, substitute Tom Hitchcock stole the glory with a dramatic winner to steal all three points.
The victory keeps Real seven points above sixth-placed, Quorn FC in the hunt for the play-off spots, but it could have been far worse with Rob Sinclair’s side on the brink of a second shock loss in four days.
On Saturday (21 February), relegation threatened Stourbridge pulled off an unlikely 2-1 win to end Real Bedford’s seven game winning streak, and with Alvechurch scoring three on Tuesday night, it looked as if the trick was to be repeated.
Read: Real Bedford’s winning run is over after shock loss at Stourbridge
That was until Tee and Hitchcock struck late to send the Pirates’ bench into delirium.
Alvechurch take control
Both sides traded early chances, but Real Bedford were the closest to taking the lead inside the first 20 minutes, only for Krystian Pearce to clear Josh Allen’s effort from off his own goal line, before the hosts struck with a double blow.
Kieran Wakefield put Alvechurch in front on 22 minutes, and things went from bad to worse for Real as they conceded just two minutes later as Tope Obadeyi doubled the advantage for Kyle Storer’s men.
An excellent save from home goalkeeper, Redman Evans was sandwiched in between the two strikes, as Real looked to hit back immediately, but they were not able to respond until the 40th minute.
Ben Stevens was the beneficiary, as he placed an inch perfect shot across the face of goal to halve the deficit going into the break.
The second half would end up being a slow burner as Real applied the pressure, but it turned into a chaotic ending, with four goals scored in the final ten minutes.
It was Josh Allen who eventually gained the Real Bedford equaliser; Josh Setchell laying it on a plate for the striker after a delicious cross from Tee, allowing Allen to smash home the leveller.
Many would have expected Real to press on to search for the winner against their lowly opposition, but come the 88th minute, Alvechurch were back ahead courtesy of Zac Guinan.
Dramatic winner for Hitchcock
But the game was not done yet.
Alvechurch could have had a fourth to kill the game, but were denied by King in the closing stages and they would go on to rue the missed opportunity as Real Bedford struck the killer blows deep into stoppage time.
In the third of five minutes added time, Conor Tee looked to have stolen a point with a cracking finish into the bottom corner, but the Real bench was sent into bedlam just a minute later as Tom Hitchcock controlled a cross and smashed home a half volley into the roof of the net.
Hitchcock, who has had to make do with sporadic minutes from the bench this campaign, sprinted off to celebrate and there was no time for Alvechurch to mount a comeback of their own, as Real Bedford return home with three points and a 4-3 triumph under their belts.
It also meant Real Bedford avoided another banana skin. What a second consecutive loss against a side towards the bottom of the table may have done to confidence remains to be seen, but they now press ahead to Saturday’s game with belief restored.
They are back at the Ledger Stadium looking to gain revenge on Leiston, who – on paper at least – pose a stiffer challenge as they too are chasing a play-off spot, and have already beaten Real Bedford this season.
The game kicks off at 3pm on Saturday 28 February.
