Bedford beaten 3–0 at home by Macclesfield and drop to tenth

Sunday 1 November 2026 · By Archie Bamford

Bedford Town lost 3–0 at home to Macclesfield on Saturday and have dropped from seventh to tenth in the Enterprise National League North. They remain on 22 points, two behind seventh-placed Hednesford Town.

Luke Duffy gave Macclesfield the lead in the fourth minute, according to the Non-League Football Paper. The Bedford Independent reported that Danny Elliott then scored twice, a header before half-time and a second within three minutes of the restart, and that he was denied a hat-trick by a save from home goalkeeper Walker. The BBC gave the attendance as 974. Bedford’s Manny Duku had the ball in the net halfway through the second half, but the referee had already blown for a foul, the Independent reported.

The Non-League Football Paper said a David Hicks shot was deflected away, with the home side convinced it came off an arm.

Bedford began the day in the last play-off place after wins against Scarborough Athletic and Hednesford in the previous week, the second of which was decided by an own goal. The Independent said that loan signing Balu Makumbi, a defender from Slough Town, started in place of Alfie Thornett, who has been recalled by Stevenage, and that Junior Gyamfi came off the bench in what it called a welcome return given Bedford’s injury issues.

Before kick-off there was a minute’s applause for Macclesfield’s Ethan McLeod, “who tragically lost his life driving home after the fixture last season”, the Non-League Football Paper reported.

Bedford’s form reads L D L W W L, and the defeat was their first after two wins. They have played 14 league games, winning seven, drawing one and losing six, scoring 17 goals and conceding 19, a goal difference of minus two. Only the champions are promoted automatically, with second to seventh going into the play-offs.

They have no league game on Saturday 7 November, because their original opponents, Marine, are in the FA Cup first round at Bradford City. The BBC lists the rearranged Marine game for Tuesday 1 December, with kick-off at 19:45 GMT, although the reason for the new date has not been confirmed.

Bedford’s next game is in the FA Trophy second round, at home to Chesham United on Saturday 14 November, with kick-off at 15:00 GMT. Chorley visit in the league on Tuesday 17 November, kick-off 19:45 GMT, and South Shields are at Bedford on Saturday 21 November. Bedford then go to Merthyr Town on Tuesday 24 November.

Hednesford in seventh are two points ahead, and Morecambe and Chester, who are on 23, are one point above Bedford. Chorley, the first league opponents after the break, lost 2–0 at Spennymoor on Saturday and are on 20 points, so Harry Smart’s side have a chance to start climbing again after the weekend off.