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Eagles Bag Experienced Thorne 
Pitching In Southern League Premier Division Central club Bedford Town have announced the signing of midfielder George Thorne.  The 29-year-old, who represented England at under-16, 17, 18 and under-19 level, arrives at The Eyrie having played over 50 games in the Championship for Derby County and a dozen in the Premier League for West Bromwich Albion.
 
His six years at Derby were hit with injury, but he had successful seasons at Pride Park including the Rams run to the play-off final in 2019. 
 
He also had loan spells with Portsmouth twice, Peterborough United, Luton Town, Watford and Oxford United.
 
He left the professional game last summer after a short spell with Oxford United and, having taken some time away from football, now returns to the game to help drive the Eagles forward. 
 
Manager Gary Setchell told his club’s website: "I'm really happy we've managed to attract a player of George's quality to The Eyrie. He has an abundance of experience having played in the Championship and Premier League. This experience in the dressing room will prove crucial as we continue to develop the side".

 

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We should be strengthened by having loan signing Reece Hutchinson available for the Bedford match and Dempsey Arlott-John should return after missing the Cup matches. Having conceded three goals in the Anstey match, I was wondering if Ben Turner might come into the side and also wondering when Dan Bradley will be fit to play.
Reece Hutchinson has Football League experience so should be able to slot straight in. 
I hope the players' confidence is not adversely affected after a two good wins was followed by two very humbling results. Let's face it we expected to win on Tuesday and we blew it.
To be fair to Jamie Ward I think he should be given half a dozen games but he cannot afford another defeat 


 

Last edited by Matchman (21/9/2022 2:39 PM)

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It's matchday and I'm back after missing the Coalville and Anstey matches. It sounded like a top performance against Coalville followed by two matches against Anstey where we did okay but without getting the result we wanted.  
Today it's another tough match at Bedford and we look forward to another cracking game.

 

Bedford Tean
1 Alex Street (c), 2 Drew Richardson, 3 Sam Warbuton, 4 Sam Dreyer, 5 Charlie Sanders, 6 Hugh Alban Jones, 7 Conor Tomlinson, 8 Callum Donnelly, 9 Tyrone Lewthwaite, 10 Joe Butterworth, 11 Daniel Jarvis.
Bench : 12 Craig MacKall,-Smith, 14 Kai Phelan, 15 Matthew Moloney, 16 Kofi Haliday, 17 William Summerfield.

Ilkeston Town team
1 Saul Deeney, 2 Joe Wilson, 3 Reece Hutchinson, 4 Jack Thomas, 5 Mashall Willock,  6 Kieran Fenton, 7 Declan Errat-Thompson, 8 Tom Solanke, 9 Ramaye Campbell, 10 Montel Gibson, 11 Dempsey Arlott-John. 
Bench : 12 Alex Troke, 14 Harvey Woodward, 15 Chris O'Grady, 16 Ollie Brown-Hill, 16 Ben Turner.

 

Last edited by Matchman (24/9/2022 1:49 PM)

Great tackle in the Ilkeston area by Hutchinson the first minute. It's fast start by by both teams but no chances yet     0-0     7 mins

it's Marshall Willock. He's left the field. No sub yet.

Arlott-john goes down in area but ref waves play on. Ball falls to Willock but he blasts wide.      0-0     20 mins

Goal for Bedford on 24 minutes      0-1       Richardson cross is blasted in by Lewthwaite

Keeper does well to cut out Eratt-Thompson cross. Ilkeston's first corner.  Nothing comes of it.      0-1     33 mins

UPDATES 24.09.22 15:40
 
Southern League Central Premier Division
Alvechurch 0 Leiston 0
Barwell 0 AFC Rushden & Diamonds 1
Bedford Town 1 Ilkeston Town 0
Bromsgrove Sporting 0 Basford United 0
Coalville Town 0 Hednesford Town 2
Needham Market 1 Mickleover 0
Rushall Olympic 2 Royston Town 1
St Ives Town 0 Redditch United 1
Stourbridge 2 Hitchen Town 0
Stratford Town 1 Nuneaton Borough1
Tamworth 2 King’s Langley 0
 
Others
Crewe Alexander 0 Mansfield Town 0
Lincoln United 0 Carlton Town 1
Long Eaton United 0 Loughborough Dynamo 0
Maidstone United 0 Chesterfield 0
York City 0 Notts County 1
Alfreton Town 1 Brackley Town 0
Bamber Bridge 1 Belper Town 1
Matlock Town 1 Lancaster City 0
AFC Mansfield 0 Eastwood Community 0
Selston 0 Heanor Town 2
Melton Town 0 Kimberley MW 1

It's half time and Bedford deservedly ahead.  Not a good first half by Ilkeston.      0-1

That was really poor. We hardly troubled the Bedford keeper. Bedford were not good but we were worse. We have to be better in the second half. 
Having said that we should have had a penalty in my opinion when Arlott-John was fowled and that could have changed things. 

Last edited by Matchman (24/9/2022 3:05 PM)

Gibson replaced by Troke for second half. Good Ilkeston move involving Wilson and Solanke but Bedford eventually clear. Shot by Eratt-Thompson saved.      0-1    52 mins

Free kick Bedford wide right. better than a corner, Willock clears.   Good save Deeney.  Corner to Bedford who are now pressing . Sanders header from the corner is saved by Deeney.      1-1    62 mins

Great effort by Sanders is only just wide. Good spell by Bedford since Ilkeston levelled.    1-1     67 mins