Wisbech not at their best as Bedworth take all three points

Wisbech Town 0, Bedworth United 2

Pitching In Northern Premier League Midland Division

The Fenmen fell to their fourth consecutive defeat without scoring this afternoon as they were outfought by a tough Greenbacks outfit who have now gone 11 games undefeated.

To make matters worse, right back Aaron Hart and striker Sam Bennett were both substituted suffering from hamstring injuries, with captain Liam Marshall already missing because of an ankle problem.

The home side battled but just weren't fluid enough this afternoon, with too many players not at their best against play-off chasing opponents who battled for every ball from the first whistle to the last.

Every player has to be up for it for Wisbech to compete against teams like Bedworth, but this afternoon, four or five of them were just not at the right level and the visitors could have scored more than they did.

There was little to excite the crowd in the first half, with neither side able to create a clear opening, although United always looked the more likely.

But in the opening seconds of the second period, Luke Keen, whose combative approach had left two home players on the deck early in the match, found himself with far too much room in the home side's 16 yard box and picked his spot to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.

Wisbech bounced back and saw a fierce Toby Allen strike deflected for a corner and Danny Draper head Sam Murphy's cross from the right just wide on the hour.

But the Greenbacks were always dangerous on the break and had two chances to clinch the victory midway through the second half, first Liam Lockett firing wide from 15 yards when well placed and then sub Ishmael Dawson sprinting clear but stroking his effort wide of Luke Pearson's post.

The winner came in the 82nd minute when the usually reliable Pearson saw a stinging effort from captain and former Athletico Madrid apprentice Richard Blythe squeeze under him and trickle into the net.

The Fenmen have put in several seven-day approaches for players this week, some of them strikers. A proven poacher would be a huge fillip for Arran Duke and Mark Warren's men, who have not scored yet in 2022.

Wisbech Town (4-2-3-1,r-l): Pearson; Hart (Gascoigne 20 mins), Keeble, Wilson, Mcleish; Murphy, Maddison; Allen (Opayinka 84), Draper, Warren; Bennett (Lukyanuzi 89).

Bedworth United: Lomax, Moore, Rowe, Parrott, Muggleton, Blackmore, Sawyers (Dawson 45), Blythe, Keen (Barnett 49), Lockett, John. Subs (not used): Wells, Sanderson, Baynham.

Bookings: Rowe, John (Bedworth), Murphy (Wisbech) – fouls.

Star man: Luke Wilson – perhaps unusual to pick out a central defender after a home defeat, but he hardly missed a header or tackle all afternoon when facing some very tough forward play.

Attendance: 169.