Swaffham Town bow out of FA Cup with heads held high
Joe Jackson goes on another probing run at Bedford on Saturday. Picture: Eddie Deane - Credit: Archant
Swaffham Town bowed out of the FA Cup at the second hurdle on Saturday - but they were far from disgraced at Bedford Town.
An entertaining fixture played in the right spirit saw the Pedlars come out second best to opposition that play two leagues higher than them, eventually slipping to a 3-1 defeat.
It all could have been different, however, with Joe Jackson smashing in a volley from 20 yards at the mid-point of the first half. It was clearly heading for the top right hand corner but the Bedford keeper, with the save of the game, turned it round for a corner.
An injury to left-back Alan Woodcock then saw Jake Platten replace him. Platten himself is just returning from injury and got some unexpected minutes from the game.
Bedford went one up in the last minute of the first half, with their attacker given too much space to run into.
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The Eagles made it two on 64 minutes and put the game to bed with a third nine minutes from time. Swaffham earned a well deserved consolation goal in the 88th minute, Alex Vincent shooting from 18 yards, the ball being spilt by the keeper, and Blake Stangroome, who was following up, netting from 12 yards.
The Pedlars left the Eyrie in good spirits, knowing that they had given their all and represented the town in good fashion.
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Swaffham were due to return to Thurlow Nunn League Division One action on Tuesday evening at Diss Town before taking on neighbours Downham Town in a local derby at Shoemakers Lane on Friday evening (7.45pm). The next knock-out excursion comes up early September when the Pedlars hit the road to take on Stewarts and Lloyds from Corby in the FA Vase.
The club are grateful to Cressingham Windmill for sponsoring the game.
The Reserves, still finding their feet in the Hadley & Ottaway Anglian Combination Division Three, lost 2-1 at Hempnall, Alfie Brindle scoring for the Pedlars. On Saturday they travel again, this time to Beccles Caxton.
The Under-18s resume their league campaign at home on Thursday evening, Easton & Otley College providing the opposition.
