DEA Bedford Over 30

The Bedford Pacers kicked off the 2004 campaign with a 3-3 draw with Westford. Three times Bedford held leads, but could not hold off a scrappy Westford squad. Bedford got on the board 15 minutes into the match when Rob Cissel lofted a high shot into the far side webbing, just outreaching the keeper. Marco Koolman's great throughball would set up the play. Westford came back 15 minutes after. Bedford keeper Chris Cloutier made the intial save on a cross, but his clearance didn't make it all the way out of the zone. Instead, it went directly to two unmark Westford players 15 yards out. Their shot didn't get much on it, but it got just enough to cross the line to level it at one. Bedford held a majority of the play in the first half. John Guild, Scott Sharby, and Chris Laberge all had great chances that were just wide. Deco would climb the ladder twice to win headballs, but couldn't find the back of the net. Early in the second half, Jeff Guild slipped a great pass to Marco 20 yards from goal. As Marco lined up his shot he was chopped down, resulting in a Direct restart. Marco saw the whole right side of the net open, and his shot didn't disapoint and the Pacers had the lead back. Five minutes later, Marco and Jeff Guild hooked up again, with Marco slipping a through ball to Guild and sending him on a clean break. Westford's keeper came sliding out and got just enough of the shot, slowing it down, before it was cleared off the line. Jeff Bailey would hit the post from a sharp angle. Sharby, taking his last shot of the game before having to leave, would also ring the bar with a hard shot. The Pacers worked hard, but couldn't come up with the insurance tally. With 20 minutes left in the match, a scramble in front of the net allowed for an open Westford player, with the ball, 8 yards from goal. His shot was true and the match was levelled again, 2-2. The Pacers, holding possession for 70% of the match, continued to press in an attempt to regain the lead. However, a clean break down the right flanks sent Westford in alone on Cloutier. The hard, low shot was pushed aside, keeping the score tied. The save looked like it would loom large as the Pacers soon would get another lead. Rob Cissell worked hard to run down Marco's pass, and kep the ball alive. He returned the ball back to Marco, who sent a thigh-high pass through the seam to Bailey. Bailey one-timed the cross into the net, and the Pacers were on top again with 10 minutes left. Unfortunately for Bedford on this day, it just wasn't meant to be. With Westford in hot pursuit, a back pass was struck without enough pace on it. Westford got to it first, and slammed it past Cloutier to knot the match again. This is how the game would end up. A disapointing result, but Bedford played pretty well. Offensively, they created many chances and held much of the possession. Overall, defensively they played well, too. They just have to remain with their marks until the play is over, and not to give up on the play too quickly. Bedford is back in action next week in North Andover. This team just dropped from Division 1, so they should be a tough squad.