Preview: Bedfordshire County Football League

In the Premier Division supported by Sportsform this weekend at Harvey Close sees league leaders Caldecote defend their 100% home record for the season against a Arlesey Town Reserves side who travel having been beaten just three times on the road this season.Whilst second place Bedford Hatters look to take their current winning run up to six games when they go in to home action at Miller Road against a Renhold United side that are now hitting form and unbeaten in their last three outings.

For Shefford Town & Campton, its a visit to Jubilee Playing Fields to face Wilshamstead who have been beaten just once on home soil this season.Whilst on paper things should be a little easier for Oakley Sports to pick up the full three points when they head for a Steppingley Road meeting against a Flitwick Town side that has failed to win any of their last 10outings

Down at The Carlsberg Stadium, its a clash between the bottom two clubs when Dunton take on Woburn.The hosts looking for just their second home win of the campaign against a Safari Boys outfit who come in search of their first away point/points of the season.

Elsewhere, the final top-flight action comes at Hillgrounds, the venue for AFC Kempston Town & Bedford College home clash with Blunham just seven days after their meeting at Moggerhanger Playing Fields. That game ended 4-1 in the Town’s favour and with Blunham yet to win on their travels this season, a quick fire double looks on the cards for the home side.

The division one league programme this week is restricted to just a five game programme.The game of the day coming at Marston Playing Fields, where hosts Marston Shelton Rovers still unbeaten on home soil this season, search out win number six on the bounce when visited by a Sandy side who travel looking to go one better and chalk up win number seven on the bounce.

Also still very much in the title race are Bedford Sports Athletic, for them its home Cople Playing Fields action against Kings AFC who travel seeking out their first away point/points of the season.Whilst Lidlington United Sports travel to Pirton Recreation Ground to face a Lea Sports PSG side that ended their perfect home record at Hurst Grove just 14 days ago by sharing the spoils in a 1-1 draw.

Over at Groveside, Henlow, now unbeaten in their last three home outings face a visit from Meltis Abion who travel looking to end a run of six consecutive defeats and at Greenfield Road, Westoning having lost their opening five home league games look to put that right when visited by AFC Kempston Town & Bedford College Reserves.

However, for two other division one sides the action comes in shape of a first round tie in this seasons Centenary Cup, when at Chaul End Lane hosts Luton Boys receive a visit from Ickwell & Old Warden.

The spotlight for the lower division sides this weekend falls upon the third round ties in this season’s Bedfordshire FA Junior Cup. Bedfordshire County Football League sides having involvement in all but one of the eight ties, including six all Bedfordshire County Football League affairs.The exceptional to the rule being AFC Turvey who receive a visit from Luton District & South Beds League side Co-op Sports Reserves at their Stonefields headquarters.

However, Co-op Sports first eleven are members of The Bedfordshire County Football League and at Solway Road North they have a far from easy task to make it into the hat for the last eight draw when visited by in form Cranfield United Reserves.

Having already beaten them in league action at The Hollow in late October, Potton United Reserves will fancy their chances when Stopsley Park come re-visiting and in another all division two clash in Mowsbury Park, hosts Queens Park Crescents, winners of their last four home games could yet come up with the surprise result of the day when visited by the high flying Elstow Abbey.

Meantime over at Oakley Playing Fields, second division hosts M & DH Oakley will need to be at their best if they are to progress at the expense of the visiting division three league leaders Goldington. A comment that also applies to division three Sundon Park Rangers Colts who host division four title challengers Marsh Leys in Wrest Park.

The seventh and final tie involvement at Stockwood Park being potential banana skin territory for division two Sundon Park Rangers when they are visited by division four high flyers Bedford Park Rangers.

All these ties kicking off at 1.30pm apart from the Potton United Reserves v Stopsley Park encounter which will commence at 2pm.

With all this cup action taking place the division two league programme is reduced to just two games. At Bromham Playing Fields, you would expect hosts Bromham United to collect the full three points when visited by bottom of the table Great Barford and in the local derby action at Rectory Road, perhaps home advantage will help decide the issue in favour of hosts Shefford Town & Campton Reserves when they take on Clifton.

In division three there is a programme of just five games, for Renhold Village that means a chance to edge closer to the title race when at Renhold Playing Fields they defend their seasons 100% home record against bottom of the table Dunton Reserves.Whose away record to date reads, played five lost five.

Yet the game of the day will perhaps come at Weston Park, the venue for Eastcotts AFC home clash with Stevington.The hosts going in to the game having been beaten just the once on home soil this campaign against a Stevington outfit who have tasted defeat on the road this season on just the same one occasion.

Over at Mill Lane, Potton Town will be hosting Westoning Reserves in a game that could go either way.Whilst at Gold Street, you would expect hosts Riseley Sports to collect the full three points on offer when visited by Kempston Hammers Sports.

The fifth and final game in this section coming at Hillgrounds, where hosts Royal Oak Kempston face an in form Wilshamstead Reserves who travel looking for their fifth win on the bounce.

In division four with the leading two clubs away on County Cup duty, its a chance for Stewartby Village to edge closer to the summit of the league table when they make the short journey to Wootton Recreation Ground to face hosts Wootton Village. Alas with the home side having been beaten just the once on home soil all season, the task will not be a easy one.

However, the pick of the six fixtures looks to be the clash on The Green between Ickwell & Old Warden Reserves the hosts and Shefford Town & Campton A, with the home side having been beaten just the once on home soil this season you would perhaps favour them to collect the spoils.

Its a big day at Horseshoes Close, the venue for the clash between the division’s bottom two sides, hosts and bottom of the table Dunton A looking for just their second home win of the season against a Dianmo Flitwick side that are yet to win on the road this season.

Elsewhere, at Bedford Road Recreation Ground, Sandy Reserves surprisingly will be looking for their first home win of the season against a Kempston Athletic side they beat 4-2 on their own patch just five weeks ago.Whilst over at The Bedford Hockey Centre, Bedford Panthers will have to be at their very best if they are going to collect the full three points from the visiting Caldecote A.

The final game of the day comes in Mowsbury Park, where you would expect the visitors Clifton Reserves to collect the spoils from hosts Goldington Hammers.