Evo-Stick Southern Division 1 Central
Monday 2nd January 2017
A second half comeback that looked unlikely at the break was completed when Ben Yeomans and Tommy Wright levelled things up with an hour or so gone but Eagles striker Lee Roache added twice more to his first half brace to see the hosts comfortably home in the end.
Lance Key had to juggle his team again when Elkanah Sibanda and Simon Unwin pulled out through illness as did the returning Marcus Hall whilst Niall Conroy and Shaun Jenkins missed out through suspension. The Gaffer used his three remaining available defenders centrally with Danny Gould and Matty Allan out wide and the game started brightly with Carman and Yeomans combining in the first minute to nearly put us ahead only to see the ball cleared off the line.
The home side settled quickly though and started to threaten with Orenuga and Daly a menace on the flanks. On 13 minutes Bedford went ahead when a quick corner was taken and driven in to the box where Roache was on hand to get his first of the afternoon. 10 minutes later and Roache doubled the lead, latching on to a through ball to slot past Sam Roach.
Despite the double setback we looked a threat ourselves going forward and Yeomans was close to pulling one back when Wright played a nice ball through but the home side managed to smother and clear. At the other end Sam Roach was starting to have a busy afternoon and was called into action more than once. The on loan Orient keeper was in fine form though and equal to all that came his way.
Key changed his team’s shape after the break going to a flat back four with Capel moving to left back and immediately the team looked more solid. 10 minutes in and Jake Chambers-Shaw entered the fray and we looked more lively in attack. With just under an hour gone Ross Munro played in Yeomans to the right of the area and the striker took on the full back as he advanced into the area. As he went past his man Yeomans was brought down and the Referee didn’t hesitate pointing to the spot. Yeomans took the kick himself, sending the keeper the wrong way to make it 1-2.
Our tails up we suddenly had the initiative and five minutes later were level. Munro’s free kick from out wide was punched clear by Harpur in the home goal but only as far as Tommy Wright who sent it straight back up and over the crowded area and into the top corner. 2-2.
Soon after and Matty Allan was close to giving us the lead as our purple patch continued, the attacking midfielder making his way into the area from the left before last ditch defending halted his progress.
We had a game on our hands now and the home side were rattled but their fraying nerves were calmed on 70 minutes when Orenuga took advantage of our failure to clear our lines to restore the Eagles’ lead.
Five minutes later Roache completed his hat trick to secure the points before adding another on 85 minutes.
Histon: Sam Roach, Danny Gould, Cameron Watson, Daniel McGinty (Jake Chambers-Shaw 55), Max York, Adam Capel, Tommy Wright, Ross Munro, James Carman (Giovany Lopes 75), Ben Yeomans, Matty Allan.
Histon subs not used: Pat Bexfield.
Histon yellow cards: Adam Capel.
Histon goal scorers: Ben Yeomans (59p), Tommy Wright (64).
Bedford Town: Adam Harpur, Devante Stanley (George Boland 46), Matt Clifford, Tommy Hull, Ollie Swain, James Peters, Femi Orenuga (Nathan Tshikuna 77), Ryan Auger, Lee Roache, Chris Marsh, Pat Daley (Andrew Phillips 70).
Bedford Town subs not used: Ben Sawyer, Peter Denton.
Bedford Town yellow cards: Femi Orenuga, Matt Clifford.
Bedford Town goal scorers: Lee Roache (13, 24, 75, 85), Femi Orenuga (70).
Attendance: 255.
