CHAMPS ENSURE FINALE IS 8-GOAL THRILLER

BEDFORD TOWN 5 PLYMOUTH P’WAY 3

THE Southern League Division 1 Champions match produced a thrilling end-ofseason eight-goal treat for the fans as Central kings Bedford Town came from 2-0 and 3-1 down to see off South winners Plymouth Parkway at the Eyrie.

Parkway opened the scoring on 20 minutes when a cross from the left byline found Harrison Davis unmarked and his shot went in off the underside of the crossbar.

Minutes later, it was 2-0 with an outrageous goal from Callum Rose, who spotted Bedford keeper Elliot Duffy off his line inside his own half and an audaciously lobbed a quick free-kick into the net.

Bedford pulled a goal back a couple of minutes before the break when Dan Walker raced onto a through ball, shrugging off Ryan Lane and firing low from the right hand corner of the area.

And the first-half scoring wasn’t over yet as Plymouth regained their two-goal lead when Gabriel Rogers met a free-kick with a textbook downward header and despite the best efforts of Rory McAuley to clear, the assistant referee flagged for a goal.

If Parkway won the first half, then it was Bedford hands down for the next 45. But it took 22 minutes into the half for the Eagles to soar after Connor Tomlinson, with one flick, took three Plymouth players out of the equation, beat another on the left byline and crossed for Craig Mackail-Smith to fire home.

Then, with 15 minutes left, a Tomlinson push back found Hugh Alban Jones on the edge of the area and the midfielder made no mistake to make it 3-3.

Bedford took the lead for the first time on 79 minutes – McAuley tapping home after Tomlinson had terrorised the defence again and crossed for Mackail-Smith, whose intial saw his shot parried into his path.

And the sxoring was complete in the final minute when former Scotland international Mackail-Smith swept home for his second of the game following a square ball from Walker.