Real Bedford suffered consecutive defeats in the Southern League for the first time since August 2025 after a 1-0 home loss against mid-table Stourbridge on Tuesday night (27 October).

Charlie Pavey scored the game’s only goal after just nine minutes and Rob Sinclair’s side could not find a leveller, as they made it two losses inside four days.

Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at Bishop’s Stortford came with the caveat that Real finished the game with nine men after goalkeeper, Craig King and Jordan Ponticelli were both sent off; the former after just 15 minutes.

Both were available for Tuesday’s game back on home turf owing to non-league rules that suspensions do not begin for seven days, but they could not stop Stourbridge picking up a second consecutive win over Real after home victory in February of last season.

Jack Davies and CJ Kiala, in for Sam Cartwright and the still recovering, Josh Setchell were the only two changes to the starting line up, but Stourbridge were fastest out of the traps, claiming an early goal that would turn out to be the winner.

Charlie Pavey was the man to score it, curling a first time effort past King.

Otherwise, the Stourbridge defence had their Aston Villa loanee keeper to thank as Blade Earley, standing at six feet seven in the visiting goal, denied Real at every opportunity.

CJ Kiala’s effort was tipped over the bar by Earley on 18 minutes, before the Stourbridge shot stopper got down smartly to stop a Josh Allen effort at his near post.

Archie Jones also fired over the bar late in the first half, but the visitors went into the sheds a goal to the good.

And that is how it stayed, despite Stourbridge starting the second half well; Jourdain Masidi and Jai Verma particularly prevalent with King keeping out the latter from a snap shot.

But after another slow start to a half, Real Bedford began to create chances; a pair of efforts from Allen, and a Conor Tee shot at goal from a Setchell cross, both kept out by the excellent Earley. 

Jordan Ponticelli was also denied by a late clearance from a visiting defender, but it was the side from the Midlands who finished the game better, and they should have put it to bed on the counter attack.

The first Stourbridge break came as Real pressed forward in search of a valuable equaliser, leaving themselves three versus one at the back, but Pavey couldn’t add the finishing touches as he fired wide.

A second break wielded similar results, but Bedford couldn’t make them pay despite a last minute scramble in the visiting penalty area, leaving Rob Sinclair and his men to mull over a disappointing few days.

They’ll hope to return to the winner’s enclosure at the 12,067-capacity Sixways Stadium this Saturday (31 October), hoping a small blip in what is still a league-leading title challenge doesn’t turn into a major scare at Worcester City.