Debut goals for Cartwright and Allen in dominant Corby win
By Will Murray
Real Bedford beat Corby Town 4-1 in their first pre-season match ahead of the 2025/26 season. Sam Cartwright and Josh Allen both scored on their debuts for the club, with Joey Evans and Tom Hitchcock also getting on the scoresheet.
In front of a crowd of 330, the Pirates started well and went into the lead after only nine minutes. A low ball from Eniola Agemoh-Davies on the right wing was parried by Jake Laban to the feet of Cartwright, who opened his account for the club.
Both teams created chances in the middle of the first half, including Ben Stevens, who came close on a couple of occasions.
Corby’s best chance came in the 37th minute when Jack Keeble, who was unmarked from a corner, headed wide from close range.
The visitors were made to pay for this miss, as the Pirates were awarded a penalty three minutes later. After some intricate play between Stevens and Conor Tee on the left wing, the ball eventually found its way to Archie Jones, who was tripped in the box.
Evans stepped up and rifled the ball into the roof of the net to double the Pirates’ advantage.
Second Half
Rob Sinclair made 10 changes for the second half.
Tendai Daire came inches away from halving the deficit in the 54th minute, but his header from a free-kick went just over the bar.
Two minutes after the hour mark, the Steelmen found a way back into the game. Daire’s low cross found Reuben Marshall inside the box, who fired home.
The Pirates restored their two-goal deficit in the 77th minute through Hitchcock. A whipped corner from Isaac Galliford was expertly flicked on by the experienced striker to put the game beyond the visitors.
Allen, who was lively in the second half, capped off an impressive display for Sinclair’s side in the 85th minute. The 21-year-old latched onto a cross from Tee to open his account for Real Bedford.
After the match, Sinclair looked ahead to the 2025/26 season:
“We’re going into a level the club has never been at, so we want to keep building and be successful. We will take that game by game.”
Next up is a trip to AFC Welwyn on Tuesday 15th July.
Also keep an eye on the website and our social media channels on Friday 18th July, as the Southern League Premier Central fixtures will be released.
First Half XI: McGregor, Soile, Cartwright, Morrell, Agemoh-Davies, T. Ward, Richardson, Tee, Jones, Stevens, Evans.
Second Half XI: Mumford, S. Ward, Longden, Davies, Tee, Watkins, Nicolson, Galliford, Weyman, Hitchcock, Allen.
Real Bedford 4-1 Corby Town
12th July 2025
Kick-off: 3pm
Location: The Ledger Stadium
