Bedford Town edging two-horse title race with Berkhamsted

In another good week for Bedford Town, Saturday’s 4-0 win over Didcot Town keeps them top of the league - and on Tuesday they booked a place in the semi-finals of the Beds Senior Cup, beating Biggleswade Town 2-1.

Closest rivals Berkhamsted’s 2-2 draw with Barton Rovers at the weekend and 3-1 result over Kempston Rovers on Tuesday evening, leaves Eagles a point ahead on 70, with a game in hand in the Southern League Division One Central.

In a club interview after the Didcot game, manager Gary Setchell was more than happy with the result.

“Three points, clean sheet, stay on top!” he said.

“We’ve got a great identity at the moment with our workrate, our press and goals we’re scoring. I just said to them carry on being you, and you are going to be hard to stop this season.

“There’s a long way to go, but we are enjoying it and have just got to keep doing what we’re doing.

“We scored some great goals today and missed a lot of chances too, it could have been seven or eight.

“I’m really happy with the way they’re training, playing, looking after themselves and they’re enjoying it on a Saturday as well. It’s looking like a two-horse race now in my opinion.”

Third-placed Dunstable are now nine points behind Eagles on 61and North Leigh a further three adrift on 58.

“We are going well, and we are healthy, but in football that could all change,” he warned. “You can have one poor game that changes the whole picture, but at the moment we’re looking strong.”

Eagles have only lost one game since September and haven’t been beaten since November.

Against Didcot, Connor Tomlinson opened the scoring after just five minutes, Callum Donnelly made it 2-0 and it was 3-0 by half time thanks to Danny Setchell. Rene Howe finished things off with a 77th-minute penalty.

Eagles entertain relegation-threatened Colney Heath on Saturday.

“They’re fighting for their lives and come here on a free shot,” added Setchell. “We’re expected to roll them over, but it isn’t always like that.”

In Tuesday’s Bedfordshire Senior Cup win, Charley Sanders was first on the scoresheet in the 19th minute with Howe adding the second in the 33rd, before the Waders pulled one back with a quarter of an hour left.

Eagles will now face a trip to Biggleswade United in the semi-finals on Tuesday (15th).

The other semi-final sees the winners of AFC Dunstable and Biggleswade FC travel to Leighton Town .