Bedford Town 1-1 Marine; Enterprise National League North; Saturday 20th December 2025
Adam Yates reports from The New Eyrie as a battling 1-1 draw saw Marine leave Bedford with a sole point to add to their 2025 mid season tally.
It was the clichéd game of two half scenario with Marine controllably ahead in the first and primarily defending in the second.
it had been over 100 days since Marine last lost away from home (Radcliffe 6th Sept) and it looked promising that this would continue when Bobby Grant’s men found the opener. A cheeky lob into the box from Adam Anson found Thomas who laid on a controlled header to Charlie Jolley who also connected with his forehead past the Eagles’ keeper from close range.
Two substitutions either side of the break affected Bedford’s game plan. The forced replacement was when Josh Dawodu was tackled by Josh Wardle and couldn’t continue. The other was bringing on powerful defender Carl Mensah to counter Marine’s control in the box.
The Mariners lead in the second half lasted fifteen minutes when Jago Godden laid in a deep cross from the right that quicky transformed into a dangerous attempt on goal which beat Fraser Barnsley at the far post and found the net.
With injuries from prior games, Grant was forced to name only five subs and the two senior outfield players came on with Lewis Bell unlucky to grab a second last minute winner in two games when he forced Nathan Ashmore to parry away a short range missile, Fin Sinclair-Smith having also seen a free kick hit the crossbar.
The game ended fairly in a draw and extended Marine’s away run to eight games in all competitions.
Next Up – Local pride is at stake as we take on neighbours Southport on Boxing Day at a sold out Marine Travel Arena.
Attendance: 799
Referee: Ben Robinson
Bedford Town: Ashmore, Taylor, Marsh, Doherty, Sandiford, Godden, Chicksen (Mensah), Dawodu (Gyamfi), Maja, Ebanks, Phillips.
Marine: Barnsley, Brown, Samuels-Smith, Wardle ©, Anson, Drysdale, Curran-Nicholls (Fielding 90), Thomas (Bell 82), Marsden, Sinclair Smith, Jolley
Unused subs – McIntyre, Huby, Roberts