An assured display in goal by Ian Brown helped Bedford claim the points in a 2-1 win at St Albans City on Saturday afternoon. The Eagles' guardian produced some fine saves, especially in the 2nd half when the hosts put Bedford on the back foot in their search for an equaliser to Josh Beech's 1st half opener.
Up until the goal the game had been frantic with neither side managing to test the respective ‘keepers.
On 21 minutes though, after a visiting attack had broken down, the deadlock was broken when a combination of Aaron James, Ollie Thorne and James Hatch combined to thread the ball through the St Albans defence into the path of Beech. There are conflicting reports on whether Beech dummied the ball to beat James Gray or the defender mis-timed his tackle to allow the Bedford midfielder in, but the result was the same. Beech had a clear sight of goal and from ten yards coolly slotted the ball past Nick Jupp to put Bedford in the lead and give Josh his first goal of the season.
Brown made the first of his saves just three minutes after the goal when Narada Bernard's cross, on the left, was missed by Sakho Bakare and Simon Martin before Guyana international, Howard Newton dashed in at the far post with a close range, right footed volley that forced Brown to instantly drop to the ground to save and hold onto.
With ten minutes of the half remaining Gareth Price took advantage of some poor communication between Bernard and Cedric Ngakam. The winger nipped in to steal the ball and after beating Ngakam could only direct his shot into the side netting.
Five minutes before the break Brown had to be alert again as Bernard's curling and swirling shot from 30 yards had to be tipped over the bar.
St Albans came out for the 2nd half totally intent on producing a display that would keep the points at Clarence Park.
Within two minutes Ryan Watts could have restored parity but blasted the ball over from 12 yards.
Five minutes in, Newton, racing into the area from the right elected to cross instead of having a go himself, but although the pass managed to evade Brown the combination of Jon Darby and Beech cleared the ball away from the line.
There was respite for the Eagles, in the 54th minute, when Max York's free kick was met by Thorne's head, but Jupp denied the goal.
The home side kept pressing and just before the hour Brown held onto a low and stinging shot from Bakare. The Bedford ‘keeper saved again a couple of minutes later when Newton's cross from the right found Bakare, on his own in the area. The resulting header was good but Brown was equal to it and yet again denied the strike force.
On 68 minutes Brown denied another goalscoring opportunity when diving low to cut out Martin's cross from the right.
There was nothing that the visiting ‘keeper could do to stop the eventual equaliser, in the 74th minute.
Chris Seeby's free kick from the right was only half cleared by a Bedford defender into the path of James Gray, and from ten yards out, the captain and defender produced a no nonsense approach to lash the ball into the net.
The equaliser had been coming for some time but to keep at least a point, Bedford dug their heels in and six minutes later scored the winner.
James Hatch raced onto a pass down the right flank, crossing into the home area to Drew Roberts who punished the St Albans defence for their laxity and failure to pick him up, by directing the ball into the top left hand corner of the net, giving Jupp no chance.
Bedford may have increased their lead in the time remaining. Price released Roberts down the left, but this time the striker hit his effort wide. A minute later Roberts evaded the St Albans defence again and squared the ball into the area, but Thorne couldn't get the necessary touch and the ball went harmlessly off for a goal kick. Six weeks after sustaining an injury against Redditch, Callum Lewis made a return to the squad for this game, coming on as a substitute with just four minutes remaining.

Bedford Town: Ian Brown, Max York, Aaron James, Jon Darby, Gavin Hoyte (c), Ollie Thorne, Gareth Price, Josh Beech, James Hatch, Drew Roberts, Tom Damon (Callum Lewis 86).
Subs not used: Seb Simpson, Paul Cooper, Jermaine Ivy, Michael Kavanagh.