Sun Sports v Bedford FC   23rd January 2016    SSML Premier

Bedford Battered by Sun's boys.

In a match that to be honest could have been a lot closer than the final result shows, Bedford showed signs of being a team capable of staying in the Premier division, if their luck in front of goal changes.

In a highly entertaining game where a total of 23 shots were on target for both sides, it was Sun who showed more confidence overall and certainly played some great moves with one attack from one end of the pitch to the other having a combined ten passes without any Bedford player being able to touch the ball.

And they say that this level of football is all huff n'puff and kick and rush!
Those people need to come and see the Sun play sometime!!

Bedford started the stronger from the kick off and had a couple of early chances but Sun soon came into the match when Dom David beat a couple of defenders on the right side of the area and popped a perfectly floated cross over to Karl Penny who's header glided wide of the post.

Ashley Lewis and Brima Johnson set up a perfect one-two for Johnson to get to the by line and cross the ball to Penny whos shot again went agonisingly wide of the far post.
Frustration certainly showed on K.P's face but he knows that he will still get plenty of decent chances as the season continues.

One of the best moves of the season then came about.
Tthe ball came to keeper Ross Hampton who rolled the ball out to Sam Warrell, he took a couple of touches to control it and passed it to Scott Bonner who passed the ball to Joash Nembhard.
Joash looked up to see Jack Johnson available to the right, as no one had made a run he passed it back to Nembhard who knocked it centrally to Bonner again.
Scott saw that Dom David had made a move and threaded the ball through to David on the halfway line.
Dom saw a space and pointed to where he wanted it to go as he passed the ball to Warell.
The ball was then hit by Sam over to the left where Gary Wallace had moved forward and with a first time pass he directed the ball into the area for Ashley Lewis who proceded to beat his man but then lost the ball to the covering defender.

From a Sam Warrell corner the ball was headed out of the area but found Scott Bonner on the edge of the box who volleyed the ball back in which the Bedford keeper made a brilliant save from and although he could only parry it the Sun forwards couldn't capitalise on the loose ball.

Bedford had the next best chance to take the lead from a corner which fell to their centre forward in the D of the area and lashed a lethal left footed half volley towards goal.
Ross Hampton was up to the challenge as he made a flying save to stop the ball going into the top right of the net.

A Bedford attack broke down in the 24th minute and captain Ashley Lewis saw Dom David with some space as he put a well weighted ball through to him from within the half way line.
Dom David wrong footed both his marker and the keeper as he slotted the ball into the goal to make it 1-0 to the Sun.

32 minutes gone on the clock and Scott Bonner stepped up to make it 2-0.

Barely had a couple more minutes passed when Sun were 3-0 up and cruising with another well worked move.
From the Dom David corner the ball fell to Scott Bonner who flicked the ball up with the outside of his boot, Gary Wallace headed the ball up over his marker and the ball fell to Ashley Lewis who volleyed the ball into the Bedford goal.

Just before half time Bedford broke away and pulled a goal back to spoil Ross Hampton's chance of four consecutive clean sheets in the Premier League.

The Bedford manager must have had some words with his players at half time as they came out determined to try and get another goal to get themselves back into the match.

A cross from the right for Bedford could have caused problems as the ball came into the six yard area but Joash Nembhard showed coolness personified as he slid in on his knees and gently chested the ball guiding it past the post for a corner.

Sun set themselves forward again and with a deft one-two between Lewis and Penny, Ash Lewis had only the keeper to beat but he spread himself well to beat the ball away to safety.

As the game ebbed and flowed Bedford beat Sun's offside trap and their forward went steaming ahead of the Sun's defence, thankfully sweeper keeper Hampton was there to clear the ball out to touch.

Ross was required a few minutes later as another through ball split the Sun defence and Hampton was there to save the defence's blushes as he came out of his goal to block the shot and smother the rebound.

Up the other end again and once again Dom David was involved, beating one man and then seemingly pushed off the ball by his covering defender but rather than claim for the free kick he managed to stretch his leg out and pass the ball out to Jack Johnson who drove the ball through the left back's legs and the keeper's hands to make the game absolutely safe with a 4-1 lead in the 76th minute.

Sun had a couple more chances to extend their lead but Sam Warrell and Liam James didn't hit the target and neither did Bedford as they tried in the final few minutes to reduce the deficit.

Sun are creeping up the table while Bedford remain locked in what looks like a four or five team relegation battle.