Crucial weekend in Bedford Town's league title bid

It proved a real goal-fest for the visiting Eagles with a 7-0 victory over the basement side.

Rory McAuley, Joe Butterworth, Lewis Miccio, Hugh Alban-Jones, Connor Tomlinson (2) and - making his debut for Bedford - Max Bustamante were all on target as Gary Setchell’s team made light work of Wantage, consigning them to relegation.

Goalkeeper Alex Street notched up his 21st clean sheet of the season and had very little to do all afternoon.

Their latest success keeps Bedford Town top of the Southern League Division One Central with a three-point cushion over Berkhamsted – 80 points to their 77 – and Eagles have only played 33 games to their rivals 34.

Berkhamsted beat Waltham Abbey 1-0 on Saturday.

This weekend Bedford have a tough trip to third-placed Welwyn Garden City, while the Comrades are at Ware, who are fifth.

“They are two 50-50 games,” said Setchell, in a club interview. “If they go our way we are in a great position, if they go Berko’s way it’s game on again."

Eagles then host AFC Dunstable next weekend.

"It’s still open, all to play for. We need to match Berko’s results.

"We have two big games coming up and if we put our best foot forward we are capable of getting results,” he said.

"They will push us right to the wire – who knows what will happen on Saturday.

"We are not feeling the pressure, but we know we are in a title race."

Kempston Rovers visit Aylesbury United, in search of points to lift them out of their precarious third-from-bottom spot.

Ampthill in Spartan South Midlands Division One host Amersham on Saturdaybefore a visit from league leaders Stotfold, hoping to stay in contention for play-off place.