Beds County League Preview: Saturday, January 7, 2012

With Oakley Sports sitting the afternoon out, their number two spot will be gone barring a postponement come the final whistle at Rectory Road.That being the venue for the clash between the two clubs immediately below them in the table, when fourth place hosts Shefford Town & Campton receive a visit from Bedford Hatters.Town going into the game still unbeaten on home soil this season, whilst The Hatters travel looking to retain their own seasons unbeaten away record and chalk up away win number six on the bounce.

It’s also a big day at the other end of the league table with a meeting between the bottom two clubs at Crawley Road. Hosts Woburn now without a home win in their last six outings receiving a visit from basement club Dunton, they travel trailing them by just two points and looking for their first away victory of the season to end a sequence of 10 games without a win.

Another club still in search of their first away win of the season are Flitwick Town, for them it’s a visit to Renhold Playing Fields to be hosted by a Renhold United side that,having won their last four league outings will start firm favourites to collect all three points.

Over at Lodge Road, hosts Sharnbrook will be looking for just home win number three of the season when AFC Kempston Town & Bedford College come calling The Town,winners of their last two away outings and unbeaten on their last five trips on the road away from Hillgrounds looking favourites to at least share the spoils.

Elsewhere at Jubilee Playing Fields, Wilshamstead host Arlesey Town Reserves in a game that could go either way.Wilshamstead having lost their last three home league outings and Town their last two away outings to suggest the sharing of the spoils looks the likeliest outcome.

In Division One, league leaders Lidlington United Sports will start the New Year with a visit to Hillgrounds to take on AFC Kempston Town & Bedford College Reserves. United unbeaten in their last seven outings and winners of their last three away games facing a Town side that has now lost their last seven games to plummet down the league table to just five places and five points off the bottom spot.

For second place Marston Shelton Rovers, it’s home Playing Fields action against FC Meppershall. The two sides shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw just before the Christmas break, but with the Rovers unbeaten on home soil this season and on an eight game unbeaten run you would expect them to collect the full three points this time around

Over at Bedford Road Recreation Ground, third place Sandy are in local derby action against sixth place Henlow. Sandy looking for home win number five on the bounce against their visitors who travel looking to extend their own unbeaten league run which now stretches to six games.

For two of the other leading promotion candidates it’s trips on the road, fourth place Ickwell & Old Warden making their way to Chaul End Lane still unbeaten this season to face a Luton Boys side they removed from The Centenary Cup at the same venue in early December. Whilst fifth place Bedford Sports Athletic, still unbeaten on the road this season make the short trip to Harvey Close to take on a Caldecote Reserves side that has won its last five home games and remains unbeaten on home soil this season.

Down at the other end of the table, the bottom four clubs go head to head.

At King George VI Playing Fields, basement club Kings AFC, now on a six game losing league run receive a visit from third from bottom Westoning.The visitors away record of just one win from eight outings suggesting the home side have a real chance to kick off the New Year with a victory.Whilst at Miller Road, second from bottom of the table Meltis Albion will be looking for their first home win of the season when Lea Sports PSG come calling.PSG who are yet to win on the road this season, have however drawn four of their six away outings to date to suggest they will start the game confident of at least sharing the spoils on offer.

In Division Two, it will be a major surprise if current league leaders Elstow Abbey don’t make it four away wins on the bounce to retain their unbeaten ways on the road this season when they travel to Everton Playing Fields to be hosted by bottom of the table Great Barford, whose nine home outings to date this season have all ended in defeat.

Whilst second place AFC Turvey, having lost their proud unbeaten run against Clifton in their last outing will expect to repair some of the damage when a Potton United Reserves side that they beat earlier in the season 7-0 at The Hollow coming calling at Stonefields.United travel looking to end a run of five consecutive away defeats. Whilst over at Bromham Playing Fields, third place Bromham United will look to take their unbeaten home run up to six games when visited by a Co-op Sports side who, having won their last three away outings will be no pushovers as they likewise look to maintain a push into the promotion race.

For Clifton, it’s a trip on the road to Mowsbury Park to be hosted by a Queens Park Crescents side that has lost just once in their last 10 league outings. Whilst at Groveside, Marabese Ceramics now without a win in their last five outings seek to put that right when local rivals Shefford Town & Campton Reserves come calling.

For four other division two clubs its action in round one of The Jubilee Cup. At The Luton Regional Sports Centre, Stopsley Park entertain Pavenham looking for revenge for a league defeat at the same venue in mid-October and in Stockwood Park, Sundon Park Rangers play hosts to M& DH Oakley.

In Division Three, league leaders Goldington will start 2012 with a home Mowsbury Park outing against fourth place Stevington.The hosts now unbeaten in their last 10 outings perhaps the favourites to extend that run despite Stevington coming in search of away win number three on the bounce.

Over at Crawley Road,second place Cranfield United Reserves will be playing just their fourth home game of the season when Sundon Park Rangers Colts pay them a visit looking to end the home sides 10 game unbeaten run. Whilst for third place Renhold Village, it’s a trip on the road to Steppingley Road looking to take their unbeaten ways up to five games when hosted by a Flitwick Town Reserves side that has lost its last three games to remain deep in relegation trouble at the wrong end of the league table.

Riseley Sports are also still very much in the promotion mix and for them its a trip to Greenfield Road seeking to remain unbeaten on the road this season when hosted by a Westoning Reserves side that has failed to win any of their last five outings.

Eastcotts AFC will also feel their promotion chances are far from over, yet having lost their last two away outings they will find it no easy task collecting the full three points when they hit the road for a Mill Lane outing against a Potton Town side that are now unbeaten in their last four league games.

Down at the other end of the table, basement side Dunton Reserves having lost their last six league outings face Wilshamstead Reserves at their Horseshoes Close base. With the visitors having won six of their last seven league games to climb onto the fringe of the promotion race you would expect them to collect the spoils.

The final game in this division takes place at Hillgrounds, the venue where Royal Oak Kempston now on a four game losing run host fellow strugglers Kempston Hammers Sports, who are themselves on a seven game losing run.

In Division Four, league leaders Bedford Park Rangers still 100% on the road this season make their way to Whiston Crescent to face a Clifton Reserves side who are now unbeaten in their last three league games. Whilst for second place Thurleigh, also still 100% on the road this season, it’s a trip to Hinksley Recreation Ground where hosts Dinamo Flitwick will be looking for just their second home win of the season.

Over at Cutler Hammer, third place Marsh Leys will be looking for win number four on the bounce when visited by a Bedford Panthers side who are now without a win from their last three league outings. Whilst fourth place Stewartby Village look to have a tough task on their hands to take their unbeaten ways to six games when they journey to Digswell Playing Fields to be hosted by a Shefford Town & Campton A side who have now won their last four home outings.

In fifth place are Ickwell & Old Warden Reserves, for them it’s home action on The Green where you would expect them to collect the full three points against a visiting Goldington Hammers side who have lost five of their six away league outings to date this season.

Down at the other end of the table, bottom club Dunton A having lost all of their eight away outings to date face no easy task putting that right when they head for a Harvey Close meeting with Caldecote A. The hosts despite having not won on home soil in league action all season have drawn four of their six games to suggest home win one of the campaign looks on the cards.

The final game coming at Wootton Recreation Ground, the venue for Wootton Village’s home clash with Kempston Athletic in an encounter that could go either way.