Match Preview | Real Bedford (A)
Halesowen end the penultimate month of the season with for a 3rd v 4th battle
Head to Head
There has been just the one meeting between the two sides, and that came in this season’s reverse league game all the way back in August. Real Bedford’s early season step 3 blues helped the Yeltz to a huge 3-2 comeback win after being 2-1 down at half-time. The Yeltz went behind when Ben Stevens curled an effort into the top left.. After a tough opening, on 26 minutes, our number two Jak Hickman won a corner, and scored directly from it. The Pirates re-took the lead in the first minute of first half stoppage time, Joey Evans touched the ball in from a set piece. The second equaliser came just after the hour mark from a Jason Cowley’ scrambled finish from a yard out. Milan Butterfield was to be the hero, as six minutes before the 90, he bundled ball into the net from a Kyle Finn corner.
Russ Penn’s Thoughts
“The confidence is high after the two wins we achieved last week. I think we have had a superb reaction to the Stourbridge game barring the last 15 minutes against Spalding. To have picked up nine points from 12 after that day is a huge testament to the group. I believe that Real Bedford are the best footballing side in the division, and even when we played them in August I said the same thing. They are a really good team, and they remind of a Gateshead profile from when I was in the National League with Kiddie, with the way they keep the ball, how comfortable they are in possession, and the technical quality in their players. Saying that though, they can be got at, they’ve only won one in six, and we need to go there with confidence. We have the top scorer in the league, a couple of players we’ve got on loan from the league’s above, and on our day we can be the best team in the division, but we have to show it in games like this one on Saturday.”
Opposition Preview
Craig King – Goalkeeper
The 28 year old signed in October from fellow step 3 side Sholing. The former Luton Town academy man featured 28 times in the National League South last season, completing seven straight seasons at the level. This season, he made 12 league appearances for Sholing, and started all 23 of Real Bedford’s league games since his arrival.
Jack Morrell – Left Back
The 25 year old signed in the summer of 24 from then step 3 side Biggleswade Town. The former Stevenage & Gillingham man missed just one league game for the Pirates in last season’s promotion, and scored seven goals. This season, Morrell is yet to score in 23 league appearances, 18 of which in the starting XI.
Sam Cartwright – Centre Back
The 25 year old signed in the summer from Spalding United. The former Peterborough United academy man featured 35 times in the league for Spalding last season, the second most for the club, and scored three times in the process. The centre half has made 29 league appearances this season for the Pirates, 26 of which in the starting XI.
Jack Davies – Centre Back
The 23 year old signed in the summer from recently promoted Bedford Town. The centre half featured 16 times in the National League South at the start of last season, before scoring twice in 21 league games for Bedford. The former MK Dons academy man has made 24 league appearances for the Pirates this season, 16 of which in the XI.
Shaheim Ward – Right Back
The 24 year old signed in the summer of 24 from then step 5 side MK Irish. The right sided defender missed just two league games last season for the Pirates, and scored twice. This season, Ward has featured in all 35 of their league games, scored once, and started all but one of those appearances.
Elliot Simmons – Defensive Midfielder
The 28 year old signed in September from Bedford Town. The midfielder made 35 league appearances last season. Simmons, who has spent his career in Spain, Sweden, Finland, and Canada, has featured 21 times in the league for the Pirates, 10 of which in the XI.
Isaac Galliford – Central Midfielder
The 29 year old signed in the summer of 24 from then step 3 Hitchin Town. The former Luton Town academy man scored five goals in 35 league games last season in the club’s promotion. This season, Galliford has made seven league appearances, just two of which in the XI.
Lewis Hilliard – Central Midfielder
The 35 year old signed in September from Bedford Town. The midfielder who has over 15 years of non-league experience featured a combined 36 times in the league across Spalding and Bedford last season. This season, Hilliard has made 23 league appearances for Real Bedford, 18 of which in the XI.
Archie Jones – Central Midfielder
The 24 year old signed in the summer of 23 from then step 2 Bishop’s Stortford. The midfielder scored eight goals in 24 league games last season for Real Bedford. The former Peterborough United academy man has featured in all but one of the Pirates league games this season, 30 of which in the XI.
Drew Richardson – Central Midfielder
The 25 year old signed in November 2023 from step 4 Corby Town. The former Luton academy man featured in all 40 of Real Bedford’s league games last season, scoring six times. The midfielder has scored twice and featured in every league game this season, all but one of which starts.
Lee Watkins – Central Midfielder
The 26 year old signed in the summer of 23 from then step 4 Bury Town. The midfielder featured in all of the Pirates league games last season, and scored four goals. The former Cambridge United academy man has made 30 league appearances this season, 27 of which in the XI.
Ben Weyman – Central Midfielder
The 23 year old signed in the summer from Royston Town. The midfielder was one of two Crows players to have featured in all 42 of their league games at step 3 last season, and he also scored five goals. This season, Weyman has scored once, and missed just two league games for his new club, but only 11 of which have been in the XI.
Rio Deall – Attacking Midfielder
The 23 year old signed in October from step 2 Hemel Hempstead. The attacking midfielder scored nine goals in 32 league games at step 3 for relegated Hitchin Town last season. This season, Deall didn’t make an appearance for Hemel, but has made seven league appearances on a dual registration for Royston. Since arriving at Real Bedford, Deall has made 11 league appearances, just one of which in the starting XI.
Harry Gray – Attacking Midfielder
The 18 year old signed earlier this month on loan from League Two Swindon Town. The attacking midfielder featured for S windows U18’s last season, and is now in his first season of senior football. Gray has scored once in eight league appearances for step 4 Melksham Town & seven times for fellow step 3 side Weymouth. Since arriving at the Pirates, he has made four league appearances, one of which in the starting XI.
Ben Stevens – Attacking Midfielder
The 21 year old signed in the summer of 23 from step 4 Kempston Rovers. The former Luton academy man scored 20 goals and featured in every league game last season on course to their promotion, having scored 26 league goals in 36 games at step 5 the season prior. The attacking midfielder has scored 11 goals and featured in every league game, all but two of which starts.
Josh Setchell – Left Winger
The 23 year old signed in the summer of 23 from step 5 side Harpenden. The winger scored 18 goals and missed just one of the Pirates league games last season. This season, Setchell has scored seven goals in 29 league appearances, 25 of which in the XI.
Josh Allen – Striker
The 22 year old signed in the summer from St Ives Town. The striker scored 12 goals in 42 league games across both AFC Sudbury & St Ives last season. The former Luton academy man is the league’s top scorer this season, having scored 22 goals for the Pirates, and missed just one league game, 27 of which in the XI.
Dan Efobi – Striker
The 16 year old joined at the start of the month on loan until the end of the season from Cambridge United. The striker spent times on loan at St Ives earlier this year, where he made five league appearances. Since arriving in Bedfordshire, Efobi has made one league game off the bench.
Tom Hitchcock – Striker
The 33 year old signed in the summer of 22 from step 4 Cambridge City. The man with over 50 Football League appearances to his name, scored 10 goals in 37 league games last season for the Pirates. This season, Hitchcock has scored three goals in 23 league appearances, all those matches off the bench.
Conor Tee – Right Winger
The 25 year old signed in the summer from the Yeltz. The winger scored 16 league goals and missed just one league games for us last season. The former Leicester City academy man has scored five times this season, and missed just two league games, 30 of which in the XI.
Statistical Insight
Real Bedford
- Only Harborough Town (35) have picked up more points in 2026 in the Southern Premier Central this season than Real Bedford’s 31.
- No No other side in the Southern Premier Central this season have a lower conceded first percentage than Real Bedford’s 28% (10/35)
- Only Harborough Town (11) & Alvechurch (14) have conceded fewer first half goals this season in the Southern Premier Central than Real Bedford’s 18.
- Only Harborough Town (1,330) & Spalding United (1,283) have been ahead in games for more minutes in the Southern Premier Central this season than Real Bedford’s (1,224)
Halesowen
- Only Spalding United (56) have scored more second half goals this season in the Southern Premier Central than our 45.
- Only Spalding United (18) have scored more goals in the Southern Premier Central this season in the 15 minute plus stoppage time period before half-time than our 16.
- Only Spalding United (27) have scored more goals in the Southern Premier Central this season after the 76th minute than our 18.
- No other side in the Southern Premier Central this season have conceded more goals in the first 15 minutes than our 14.