Fixtures announced for Athletic

They return once again to the Midlands One East and will be hoping to prove themselves to be serious contenders at the top of a league they have won twice in their last three appearances.

There will be numerous local derbies against rivals such as Kettering and Old Northamptonians as well as a Bedfordshire derby with Leighton Buzzard.

All eyes are initially on matches with fellow relegated side Syston with a visit to Leicestershire just before Christmas. The final home game of the season against those same opponents in April could also perhaps be a key encounter in determining the outcome of the season.

Athletic’s second team will face a new challenge in the season ahead when they compete in both East Midlands and Hertfordshire leagues with new fixtures against teams such as Letchworth, Bishop’s Stortford and Hertford.

The club have also arranged two pre-season fixtures: away to Shelford on Saturday, August 19, and at Rugby Lions on Friday, August 25.

Bedford’s full fixtures are as follows (home in bold):

September 2 v Wellingborough (home); September 9, v Bugbrooke (home); September 16 v Huntingdon (away); September 23 v Kettering (home); September 30 v Leighton Buzzard (away); October 14 v Market Rasen & Louth (home); October 21 v Melton Mowbray (away); October 28 v Northampton Old Scouts (home); November 4 v Old Northamptonians (away); November 11 v Oundle (home); November 25 v Paviors (away); December 2 v Peterborough (home); December 9 v Syston (away); December 16 v Bugbrooke (away); January 6 v Huntingdon (home); January 13 v Kettering (away); January 20 v Leighton Buzzard (home); January 27 v Market Rasen & Louth (away); February 3 v Melton Mowbray (home); February 17 v Northampton Old Scouts (away); March 3 v Old Northamptonians (home); March 10 v Oundle (away); March 24 v Paviors (home); April 7 v Peterborough (away); April 14 v Syston (home); and April 21 v Wellingborough (away).