Bedfordshire League preview

Action in The Premier Division supported by Sportsform section should have taken league leaders Arlesey Town Reserves on the road to Hillgrounds to face AFC Kempston Town & Bedford College. The fixture now being postponed to allow their club members to travel and watch their clubs game in The First Round of the FA Cup at Coventry City. So now the visitors to Hillgrounds to face the still unbeaten at home Town will be Marston Shelton Rovers, they will make the journey looking for their first win in four outings.

For second place Caldecote, its a short trip to Cople Playing Fields to face bottom of the table Bedford Sports Athletic. The hosts looking for their first home point/points of the season, whilst the visitors come in search of their fourth consecutive away win to close the gap on the league leaders to just three points.

Over on The Green, third place Ickwell & Old Warden will fancy their chances of collecting the spoils when visited by Sharnbrook. However, the visitors having lost just the once on the road this season will be no pushovers.

Whilst just down the road at Moggerhanger Playing Fields, its one of those so called “six pointers “ of a game as Blunham look for home win number two of the season against the visiting Flitwick Town whose season’s haul of eight points have all been gained on the road to suggest they will start the day favourites to collect the spoils.

At Miller Road, eighth place Bedford Hatters should start the favourites to collect their second home win on the bounce when visited by second from bottom of the table AFC Biggleswade who hit the road looking to end a run of four consecutive defeats.

Elsewhere other action comes at Hurst Grove, where still unbeaten at home Lidlington United Sports receive a visit from a Wilshamstead side that has failed to win any of its last three games. Plus at Rectory Road, where hosts Shefford Town & Campton look for just their second home win of the season when called upon by fourth place Oakley Sports M&DH who come in search of win number four on the bounce.

The game of the day in Division One comes at The Warren, the venue at which hosts Elstow Abbey look for a quick season’s double over the visiting league leaders Leighton United having ended their season’s unbeaten ways at Stanbridge Road just three weeks ago.

For second place Shillington its home action at Greenfield’s against fifth place local rivals Lea Sports PSG. The hosts in search of win number five on the bounce against a PSG outfit who are now unbeaten in their last four outings.

The only side in Division One yet to be beaten in league action this season are third place Pavenham, for them at their Playing Field headquarters the visitors are a Luton Boys side that hit the road looking for their first away point/points of the season to end their hosts perfect 100% home record.

At Groveside, its local derby action between sixth place hosts Henlow who seek out their third home win on the bounce against fourth place visitors Caldecote Reserves who look to end a run of two consecutive away defeats. Whilst Digswell Playing Fields is the venue at which Shefford Town & Campton Reserves host bottom of the table Kings AFC.

For the lower division sides the spotlight falls onto the action in round two of this season’s Bedfordshire FA Junior Cup. Of the 14 ties, 11 are all Bedfordshire County Football clashes for which 10 present a chance for a spot of giant-killing, especially when you consider in eight of the games the lower division side hold the home advantage.

However, a study of these games reveals no obvious giantkillers in the making. Perhaps the best chance falls to either Division Three Great Barford who take on Division Two Meltis Albion at their Playing Field headquarters or indeed Division Three Stevington who are visited at their own Playing Field headquarters by Division Two St Joseph’s Reserves.

Of the other six ties, three give home advantage to Division Four sides. Dinamo Flitwick at Hinksley Road perhaps the best bet of an upset when visited by poor travellers Queens Park Crescents of Division Two. As you would expect Division Two Oakley Sports M&DH Reserves to win at Harvey Close against Caldecote A and for Division Two Bromham United to make it safely into the draw for round three when they hit the road for a Wootton Playing Field encounter against Wootton Village.

Of the trio of Division Three sides holding home advantage over Division Two sides, perhaps on their day Potton Town might give Eastcotts AFC a good run for their money at Mill Lane. Yet you would feel the odds are too heavily stacked against Bedford Park Rangers when they host Woburn Athletic in Mowsbury Park and for Kempston Hammers Sports when they host Sundon Park Rangers at Cutler Hammer.

For the two potential away from home giantkillers both will very much start second favourites. Division Three Riseley Sports making tracks for a Mowsbury Park outing against Division Two high flyers Goldington and Division Three Clifton heading for a Greenfield Road outing against Division Two Westoning.

The 11th all Bedfordshire County Football League clash coming at Jubilee Playing Fields, the venue at which hosts Wilshamstead Reserves will start the firm favourites to overcome fellow Division Three side Royal Oak Kempston.

Elsewhere, its opposition from other leagues in the remaining three games. Marston Shelton Rovers Reserves hosting Four Model of The Luton District & South Beds League at their Playing Field headquarters and Marsh Leys hitting the road to face opposition from the same league in the shape of Jenenastka.Whilst at Horseshoes Close, Dunton Reserves receive a visit from North Bucks League outfit Southcott Village RA Reserves.

Following on from these games the round two programme is completed on Wednesday 7th November when Cranfield United Reserves host Potton United Reserves in an all Division Two clash at Crawley Road which kicks off at 7.45pm.

With all these cup- ties there is just one lower league game taking place in Division Four. When still 100% for the season and second placed Bedford Panthers journey to Bedford Road Recreation Ground to face second from bottom of the table Sandy Reserves.