Ben Starkie’s fourth in as many games gave the visitors a deserved lead inside the first seven minutes, before Anthony Dwyer sealed the deal after shortly after the restart.

United started well - as they did at Needham Market on Saturday - and had the first opportunity of the game when Dwyer burst through the defence and laid the ball off to Starkie, but his shot clashed off of a Bedford defender and away for a corner.

But the Tanzanian international didn't have to wait long to open the scoring moments later when he floated Stern Irvine's excellent cross over Elliott Duffy with his head at the back post.

Basford almost doubled their lead minutes later after Dwyer got on the end of another cross into the area and fired a sweet volley on goal, but Bedford’s young ‘keeper magnificently turned it around the post.

The home side weren’t without chances of their own, though, and former big leaguer Rene Howe had a glorious chance to level things after a ball was whipped into the United area, but his header floated over the bar and onto the roof of the net.

They followed that up with another great chance minutes later. After a fast break down the right saw Gyamfi through on goal, his shot was headed off the line by Dom Roma who got in front of his man.

Steve Kittrick’s men rallied and continued to push forward, and defender Bradley Beatson was inches away from extending the lead after he got on the end of a Matthew Thornhill cross, but his header sailed just beyond the far post.

After Ollie Clark showed some superb skill to pivot around his defender, he offered Thornhill the ball on a plate but the skipper’s shot dragged narrowly wide as United continued to turn the screw.

They continued the same way in the second half and Starkie showed an incredible combination of both skill and speed to dance past a defender with ease, before he rolled the ball back across the area to Clark who fired well over the crossbar.

United probably should have extended their lead minutes later, when it was Clark’s turn to play provider to Starkie when he played a sublime ball across the box for the forward whose header from close-range was miraculously kept out by the impressive Duffy.

Basford’s pressure eventually paid dividends, however, and they scored their second after Rev James showed excellent skill and patience down the right. Evading his man, he cut inside from the right-hand side and found Dwyer who took a touch, before pivoting on the spot and firing it into the far corner.

Not finding the net in their nine previous games, Bedford should have pulled one back as Furlong raced down the left flank to cross for Lyon whose header from just inches out – which looked harder to miss than score – flew over the bar.

The chance sparked life in the home side, and it looked like they’d pulled one back after Furlong took aim with a fizzing effort that seemed destined for the back of the net, but it was cleared off the line and onto the woodwork by Brad Beatson before it was eventually cleared.

In the closing moments of the game, Starkie almost scored his second of the game after drifting past his defender before he took aim from a tight angle but saw a shot cannon off the outside of the post before substitute Kevin Da Bastos Silva drilled the rebound well wide.

It needn't matter as the points were secure and our final game of the season sees us host Stratford Town on Saturday afternoon (3pm).

UNITED: Preston; Roma, Beatson, Carr (Peters 63'), Barnes; Irvine, Thornhill (Dunn 32'), Clark, James (Da Silva Bastos 68'); Dwyer, Starkie
SUBS (not used): McGowan, Musson (GK)

ATT: 298