Great start as ​Eagles fly high while it's mixed fortunes for Rovers, Real and Ampthill

​Under new boss Lee Bircham, who has almost completely overhauled the playing squad over the summer, Bedford beat Kidlington 5-1 on Saturday at The Eyrie before then running out 2-0 winners at home to Barton Rovers on Tuesday night.

Saturday saw goals from Ben Spaul, Jack Green and Ryan Blake put the Eagles three ahead at the break in front of 464 spectators.

Kidlington, also with a new manager in Mark Massingham and a new-look squad, pulled one back immediately after half-time, but Blake again and skipper Alex Collard made it a np hand for the hosts.

On Tuesday, a crowd of 431 saw the Eagles beat another team almost unrecognisable from last term, county neighbours Barton Rovers, 2-0 at The Eyrie with goals from Alex Collard after 12 minutes and Louis Walsh on the half-hour mark.

Speaking after Saturday’s win, Bircham was delighted with what he’d seen.

He said: “We played well. I suppose if there are any negatives it’s that it probably should have been a lot more, but I can’t find much fault in that performance and I think the boys were excellent – right through the team I think everyone played a minimum seven out of ten.

"We looked dangerous at set pieces and a couple of the defenders scored so that was good too.”

Elsewhere, Kempston Rovers didn’t have such a good opening day as they lost 3-0 at home to Biggleswade Town.

Both Bedford and Kempston are in FA Cup preliminary round action this weekend, with Bedford going to Mulbarton Wanderers and Kempston hosting Biggleswade FC.

Real Bedford, meanwhile, drew 1-1 at Cockfosters in the Spartan South Midlands Premier Division on Saturday, before then overcoming Clacton on Tuesday night in an FA Cup replay, meaning they will host MK Irish in the next round on Saturday who they also beat on the opening day of the season in the league.

Ampthill Town drew 2-2 with Moulton on Saturday and will host Rothwell Corinthians this weekend in the SSML Division One.