Bedfordshire League round-up

Kevin Hilton with a brace plus Adam Barker raced the visitors into a 3-0 half time lead before further goals from Hilton for his hat-trick, Layne Eadie, Jake Forsythe, Phil Mathews and Curtis Doyle were only replied to by Alex Woolston and Tommy Foyle.

Renhold lost their place to Wilshamstead who retained their season’s unbeaten record by scoring twice in the last three minutes to earn a point from a 4-4 draw with new third placed side Blunham. The visitors also stretched their own unbeaten run to eight games. Zak Rowe opening the scoring for Blunham on five minutes before Alan Lowe levelled 13 minutes later. The host’s parity last just 60 seconds as Richie Andrews concede a penalty with a foul on Matty McMahon and up stepped Andrew Vallom to make it 2-1.

Andrews made amends on the half hour wen his cross was headed in by Colin Marshall for 2-2 but with the interval cuppa’s just five minutes as a strike from McMahon took Blunham into a 3-2 lead.

All looked over for the hosts when Andy Smith was on hand to push Blunham 4-2 up on the hour but the hosts were not for lying down as a Paul Jones rocket from 35 yards on 86 minutes made it 4-3. Then Lowe grabbed his second of the afternoon in the dying seconds for 4-4.

Despite the eight goals, all those privileged to be on the touchline watching this brilliant advert for the County League Football were 100 per cent in agreement that the man of the match accolade belonged to home goalkeeper Stephen Fox. His series of outstanding saves was the reason Wilshamstead are now back on top of the Premier Division.

Up into fourth are Shefford Town & Campton who retained their season’s unbeaten home run with a 3-2 victory over Oakley Sports. It was the Sportsmen who drew first blood thanks to Jamie Endersby before a brace from Adam Larsen (one from the penalty spot), lifted the hosts into a 2-1 lead.

Mark Smith levelled before Andrew Hayday grabbed the Shefford winner.

Now seventh spot are Dunton who were 2-0 winners against bottom of the table Biggleswade United Reserves thanks to first half goals from Lawrence Bosher and Paul Beith. And it was a good day for AFC Kempston Town who they moved away from the drop zone with their first win in nine outings, a 4-2 win at Woburn. Lyndon Ingerson, Elliot West, Ricci Mandel and Liam Boland were the scorers against a brace from James McCarthy.

The scheduled game at Lodge Road, between Sharnbrook and Flitwick Town was off due to waterlogging.

Beds FA Senior Trophy

CALDECOTE found themselves taking another enforced rest after the Bedfordshire FA called off their third round tie away at AFC Dunstable late on Friday evening. The tie, originally scheduled for Creasey Park, was switched on Friday afternoon to Lancott Park in Totternhoe due to problems with the changing rooms and lights but, following discussion between all three parties, on Friday evening the game was postponed. A new date and venue were set by the Beds FA when they met on Monday morning to make the semi-final draw.

Beds FA Intermediate Cup

SAFELY into the last eight of this season’s Bedfordshire FA Intermediate Cup are Bedford Hatters after they emerged 6-1 home winners over Luton District & South Beds League Ewe & Lamb Dunstable. Scott Alleyne led the way with a hat-trick supported by an own goal plus strikes from Darek Jozwiak and Tom Redmond.

Joining them in the last eight hat are Marston Shelton Rovers who ran out 4-2 extra time winners over Potton Wanderers. Antony Henman gave the Rovers an early lead but goals from Wanderers Sam Worthington and Antony Schurek placed them 2-1 ahead until Rovers’ Aaron Franks levelled at 2-2.

The Wanderers had Conor Green red carded for some ‘industrial language’

towards referee John McGroary but come the 90th minute whistle, they were still holding on at 2-2. Extra time made that extra man count when goals from Franks and Jamie Cerminara took Rovers to a 4-2 win.

Division One

JUST two of the scheduled days five games were to go ahead. The first casualty came on Friday when internal turmoil inside the Brache Sparta Community Centre Club forced their reserves trip to Ickwell & Old Warden Reserves to be postponed. Then on Saturday morning, both AFC Kempston Town Reserves (who were due to host Bedford Sports Athletic) and Blunham Reserves whose local derby with Caldecote Reserves both perished as they couldn’t raise sides!

Of the two games to go ahead, both ended in draws. Luton Old Boys with two goals from Aaron Fortune and a strike from Adam Borton earning the point to lift them off the bottom of the league table above Brache Sparta Community Reserves on goal difference with a 3-3 draw against Henlow. The visitors replies coming via Andy Newton twice and Joe Follano.

Mark Jennings and Ian Hammett gave Sandy a 2-0 at Meltis Albion but late goals from James Pickard and Alex Goosby saved the day and it ended all square at 2-2.

Division Two

IT wasn’t a good day at the office for leaders Queens Park Crescents. They were beaten 4-1 at Lidlington United Sports and lost their third consecutive away game. Ben Marwood, Steve Flaherty and Chris Roberts goals plus a Darren Sims penalty did the damage.

Within a point are Arlesey Social Galacticos who took their unbeaten ways to five games with a 2-2 draw at Harpur FC. Dharminder Kandola and Mark McMillan were on the scoresheet against home replies from Kane Alexander and Lee Haughton.

The biggest winners of the day were Westoning Recreation Club. They ended a spell of four games without an win with a 8-1 home victory over Great Barford. Ian Buckingham netting five times, Jack Barnwell twice and Glen Cooksley once against a lone reply from Sam Smith.

Shefford Town & Campton Reserves are now without a win in their last seven outings after going down 3-2 at home against Stopsley Park. James Smart, Robert Maina and debut boy Antony Scrubb on the scoresheet for the Park against home replies from Ollie Morgan and Lasse Hammer.

Also losing 3-2 at home were Stevington. They were beaten by Clifton after Tony Norman bagged a brace and Barry Hallybone the other, the home replies from Clinton Tatham and Aaron Fletcher.

Division Three

SHARNBROOK Reserves enhanced their promotion hopes by notching up win number five on the bounce with a 4-1 victory at Flitwick Town Reserves. Kevin Harris scored twice plus Andy Janes and Ryan Massey finding the back of the net against a home reply from Ryan Short.

But game of the day came at Gold Street where hosts Riseley Sports ran out 7-6 winners over Sundon Park Rangers. James Grandidge got a hat-trick while there were braces for Paul Brown and James Law, Rangers’ scorers being Matthew Conway (three), Sam Chapman (two) and Luke Evans.

After three straight defeats, Caldecote ‘A’ returned to winning ways with a 5-2 win against Royal Oak Kempston. Neil Giles (two), Ryan Ambrose, Dan Fennell and Kai Griffiths-Shilton netted the vital goals while Oak, who have now lost their last six games, replied though Lorenzo Jordan and Darren Minney.

The final game in this division saw Co-op Sports 3-0 home win over Westoning Recreation Club Reserves with goals from James McMillan, Kris Fox and Richard Smith.

Division Four

WITH AFC Turvey on Beds FA Junior Cup duty, the next three kept the pressure up with league wins. Thurleigh made it eight unbeaten and maintained their 100 per cent home record with a 4-0 victory over Kempston Athleti with goals from Steve Pledge (two), Liam Bolton and Dan Newton.

Eastcotts’ Tony Milioti gave them a 1-0 win over Bedford Park Rangers while a lone goal from Dale Goldie took fourth placed Dinamo Flitwick’s unbeaten ways to seven games with a 1-0 win at Wootton Village.

Sandy Reserves netted their first home win of the season, 3-2 win over Stewartby Village. Jay Pateman did the damage with a hat-trick against replies from George Wheelhouse and Paul Welling.

And at Whiston Crescent, Clifton Reserves came up with their first home win in five outings when two from Greg King plus an own goal saw them beat Goldington Hammers 3-0.

Beds FA Junior Cup

IN the Beds FA Junior Cup, the result of the third round belonged to Lea Sports PSG who emerged 7-0 winners at Kempston Hammers Sports. Chris Littlejohn netting four, Haji Conteh twice and Liam Turner once. But it wasn’t such a good day for their reserve team who had just a Dawid Banasiak strike to show for a 10-1 defeat at Luton District & South Beds League club Four Model.

Not far behind PSG in the honours roll were Potton Town and Cranfield Reserves who both beat clubs from a higher division. Goals from Tom Pyman, Sam King and Chris Cooper saw Town as 3-2 winners over Kings AFC for whom Chris Greene and Ollie Plestead netted. Cranfield Reserves won 4-2 at Bromham United with Peter Kerr and James Armstrong both grabbing two against home replies from a David Baxter penalty and Reuben Hukin after the sending off of teammate Antony Farr.

Elstow Abbey’s 2-1 win put them in the last eight at the expense of Goldington. Dave McCarthy hitting a first half brace but he missed the chance of a hat-trick from the penalty spot. The home goal came two minutes from time from Karl Anderson.

Also into the last eight are Pavenham as two goals from James Owen and a strike from Michael Bates gave them a 3-2 win at Luton District & South Beds League side Christians in Sports Reserves.

AFC Turvey sent another Luton District & South Beds League side packing with a 3-1 win against Farley Old Boys Reserves thanks to Martin Page, Mike Stephenson and Saimir Guri.

The final scheduled tie between M & DH Oakley and Renhold Village was postponed due to an unfit pitch.