BEDFORDSHIRE LEAGUE: Weekend preview
Peter Francis looks ahead to Saturday's games
The action this weekend for Bedfordshire County Football League clubs comes with a mixture of cup and league fixtures headed by ties in all of the three major Bedfordshire FA cup competitions.
Topping the bill will be The Bedfordshire FA Senior Trophy game at Hillgrounds between hosts AFC Kempston Town and their Hereward United Counties League Division One visitors Potton United, who travel perhaps the favourites to make it into the hat for the semi-final draw.
Meanwhile five sides go to battle in round three of the Bedfordshire FA Intermediate Cup. At Stanbridge Road, it's an all Bedfordshire County League affair between hosts Leighton United and Caldecote Reserves, with the visitors travelling in the knowledge they have already netted a league win over their hosts back in late October at Harvey Close, but will also be well aware United have won their last six outings.
Of the other three clubs in action just Kempston have home advantage when they host 61FC Luton Reserves at Cutler Hammer, the Luton side travelling currently sitting fourth in the Molten Spartan South Midlands League Reserve Division Two table.
For Marston Social it's a trip to face high-flying AFC Dunstable Reserves of The Molten Spartan South Midlands Reserve Division Two, where the hosts currently hold down second spot in the league standings, plus for Henlow it's a trip to face Luton District & South Beds League, St Josephs.
The main focus of attention for the lower division sides comes with action in the third round of this season's Bedfordshire FA Junior Cup.
Of the eight ties taking place, five are all Bedfordshire County Football League affairs.
At Mill Lane, it will be a major surprise if hosts and Division Two high flyers Potton Wanderers fail to beat the visiting Shillington, but the other all Division Two clash at Groveside between Marabese Ceremics and Brache Sparta Community Reserves looks much harder to call.
Elsewhere, there is a chance for a spot of giant killing for two Division Three sides with home ties over Division Two opposition.
Division Three league leaders Queens Park Crescents look to have the best chance, when in Mowsbury Park they entertain Kings AFC, but with Harpur FC having failed to win in away league action this season, Renhold Village will perhaps fancy their chances of an upset when they host them at Renhold Playing Fields.
The sole surviving Division Four side at this stage of the competition are M & DH Oakley, yet whilst they have been given a home draw, that's where their luck ends as their visitors are Division Two league leaders Bedford Hatters who you would expect to come out on top.
For Marston Shelton Rovers, it's home action against Stopsley Baptist Church, whilst at Greenfield Road, Westoning Recreation Club Reserves have home advantage against North Bucks League outfit, Heath Panthers United.
Kick-off in all these Bedfordshire FA cup ties is at 1.30pm.
Domestic cup action comes in shape of another series of group games in the Watson Shield. In Group Three at Lodge Road.Sharnbrook Reserves require just a point or better to earn a place in the last 16 when they host Kempston Athletic.
However in Group Six, it's still all to play for at Keysoe Road, when Thurleigh entertain Stewartby Village in the first of their two meetings to decide who will join Renhold Village from this group into the last 16.
While Group Seven action at Whiston Crescent between hosts Clifton Reserves and visitors Flitwick Town Reserves could well sort out who will head the qualification from this group and thus earn home advantage at the last 16 stage of the competition.
On the league front in the Premier Division supported by Sportsform, it's home action at Moggerhanger Playing Fields for league leaders Blunham where they will look to take their winning ways to ten games when paid a visit by Sharnbrook.
Whilst just down the road on The Green, second place Ickwell & Old Warden will be fully expecting to take their own winning ways to seven games when visited by bottom of the table Westoning Recreation Club who are yet to win on the road this season.
Trailing the men from The Green in third spot are Caldecote who will be hitting the road for local derby action at The Carlsberg Stadium against hosts Southill Alexander who go into the game without a win since being successful at Campton in late October some seven games ago.
Also hitting the road are Oakley Sports, who make the journey to Crawley Road to face Woburn in search of away win number six on the bounce to keep them in the championship race.
Other top flight action comes at Rectory Road, where Campton look to end their sequence of four consecutive home defeats when Biggleswade United Reserves come calling and at Horseshoes Close, the venue for Dunton's home clash with Renhold United, the home side without a point from their last seven league outings, whilst United travel without a win from their last five games which as seen them slip out of the championship race.
In Division One, league leaders Flitwick Town will be hoping to extend their lead at the head of the standings over the cup playing Leighton United when they journey to Cople Playing Fields looking for win number five on the bounce against hosts Bedford Sports Athletic.
Whilst Meltis Albion with a home win at Miller Road over Blunham Reserves will climb the table into third spot at the expense of the cup-playing Caldecote Reserves.
At the other end of the table, the big battle of the day comes in the shape of Stevington's home clash with Campton Reserves as both sides look for the points to keep them out of the relegation zone, a comment that also applies to the Bedford Road Recreation Ground clash between Sandy and visitors AFC Kempston Town Reserves.
For current bottom of the table, Kempston Hammers Sports, it's a trip on the road to Mowsbury Park to face in form FC Meppershall who will be firm favourites to collect their fourth win on the bounce.
With all the cup action taking place there are just three games to the Division Two programme.
At Arlesey Recreation Ground, fourth place Arlesey Social Galacticos will be in home action against second from bottom of the table Elstow Abbey who travel in search of their first away win of the season.
Whilst just down the road it's local derby action between hosts Shefford Town who seek to take their unbeaten ways to six games against the travelling Clifton, who sit just three places off the bottom of the league table.
The third and final game in this Division coming at Hillgrounds with a clash between the two sides immediately above Clifton in the standings when hosts Kempston Royals look to end a three game losing home run when visited by Great Barford.
Division Three action is also a programme of just three games, third place Lidlington United Sports on their way to Harvey Close now unbeaten in their last four league outings to face Caldecote A in search of the three points that will lift them above the non-playing Dunton Reserves.
But any slip up would give Stopsley Park a chance to occupy second spot come the final whistles should they collect the three points from their own visit to Jubilee Playing Fields where they face Wilshamstead Reserves.
The day's final game in this division coming at Gold Street where bottom of the table Riseley Reserves take on Sandy Reserves knowing a victory for them will see the sides swap places in the league table.
Division Four action, is restricted to just two games, bottom of the table Bedford Park Rangers looking to end a six game losing run when they entertain Dinamo Flitwick in Mowsbury Park. Whilst for league leaders Sundon Park Rangers it's a trip to Hillgrounds and a meeting with Eastcotts.
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Weather for Bedford
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: -6 C to 0 C
Wind Speed: 6 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 2 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North west
