PREVIEW: Beds County Football League

Whilst second place Shillington despite having lost their last two games still remain the title favourites as they hit the road to face Marston Shelton Rovers at their Playing Field headquarters who will be looking for their third league win on the bounce.

Over on the 3G surface at Redborne School where surprisingly hosts Flitwick Town have won just three of their 10 home encounters to date, the visitors are now 11h place Caldecote whose nine away trips away from Harvey Close this season have yielded just one victory.

It’s local derby action at Oakley Playing Fields where hosts AFC Oakley Sports M&DH will be defending their season’s unbeaten home record against near neighbours Pavenham.

Other action comes at Renhold Playing Fields, the venue at which fifth place hosts Renhold United will receive a visit from sixth place Shefford Town & Campton who have lost just one of their last five trips away from Rectory Road and on The Green,

Ickwell & Old Warden, having lost just one home game this season, were due to be visited by Wootton Blue Cross who would have been searching for just their second away league win of the season, but now instead the Blue Cross will endeavour to make it third time lucky in trying to play their outstanding Bedfordshire FA Senior Trophy semi-final tie with South Midlands League Crawley Green.

With the league having already granted a free Saturday to both Lidlington United Sports and Sharnbrook this will leave the men from the Green kicking their heels without a game.

The top game in Division One this weekend comes at Weston Park, the venue at which fourth place Eastcotts AFC will be defending their season’s unbeaten home league record against second in the table and title favourites AFC Turvey who come in search of their fourth away win on the bounce.

For current league leaders Sundon Park Rangers who have won just the twice on the road to date this season, its a trip to Groveside for a tough looking encounter against third place hosts Henlow.

Down at the other end of the table, basement club Bromham United will be striving to find their first home win of the season against the visiting Brickhill Tigers.

Whilst for second from bottom of table Shefford Town & Campton Reserves it’s home action at Rectory Road in search of just their second home win of the season against near neighbours Marabese Ceramics who will hit the road in search of their third away win on the bounce.

The final action comes at Alexander Sports Centre where fifth place Goldington, following two consecutive home defeats, will look to repair the damage against the visiting Woburn Lions who sit just one place below them in the table.

Meanwhile for Elstow Abbey it’s home action at the Warren in the semi-final of this season’s Bedfordshire FA Intermediate Cup against South Midlands League side Kent Athletic Reserves for the right to face either Farley Boys or Crawley Green Reserves in the final at Ampthill Town on Wednesday, April 16.

In Division Two for current league leaders Potton Town it’s home action at Mill Lane where they have been beaten just the once this season against third place AFC Oakley Sports M&DH Reserves whose record on the road of five victories from six outings suggests The Town will have to be at their very best to collect all three points.

Second place Clifton, despite winning their last five outings, also have a tough looking game when they journey to King George VI Playing Fields to be hosted by fifth place Kings AFC who will be on the lookout for their fourth home win on the bounce.

Down at The Hollow, home of Potton United Reserves winners of just one home game all season the visitors are fourth place Queens Park Crescents who have lost just the once on the road all season and just up the road at Everton Playing Fields, Great Barford will strive for their third consecutive home win when visited by AFC Kempston Town & Bedford College Reserves whose seven away outings to date this season have seen them defeated six times.

Other action comes at Crawley Road, the venue at which Cranfield United take on a yet to win on the road this season and second from bottom of the table Renhold United Reserves and at New Grounds, AFC Harlington look for just their second home win of the season when paid a visit by Co-Op Sports as both sides seek the points to keep them out of the drop zone.

In Division Three with top of the table Meltis Albion sitting the afternoon out second place Stevington at their Playing Field base will be in search of home win number six on the bounce which would take them to the top of the standings when called upon by a Kempston Athletic side that have been beaten just the once on the road all season.

For fourth placed Westoning it’s a trip to Cutler Hammer to face Kempston Hammers who will be in search of home win number three on the bounce in this their first home outing since mid-November.

Down at the other end of the table, basement club AFC Bush will be in home action on the 3G surface at Hillgrounds looking to end a run of seven consecutive defeats against the visiting Ickwell & Old Warden Reserves who have won just the once on the road this season.

For second from bottom of the table Clifton Reserves it’s home Whiston Crescent action looking to take their home unbeaten run up to three games against Wilstead Reserves.

Other action comes at the Hockey Centre, the venue at which Bedford Panthers look to extend their unbeaten home ways to four games against the visiting Marston Shelton Rovers Reserves and at Hillgrounds, Kempston Con Club Sports are visited by third place Elstow Abbey Reserves who will hit the road looking for their sixth consecutive away win.

In Division Four the game of the day comes at Moore Crescent, the venue at which league leaders FC Houghton look to preserve their season’s unbeaten home record against third place visitors Clapham Sports who will hit the road winners of their last six starts.

For second place Meltis Albion Reserves who are still unbeaten on home soil at Miller Road this season the visitors are sixth place Cranfield United Reserves.

Over at Blunham Playing Fields, Bedford Park Rangers will be in home action against a Caldecote A side whose 10 away games this season have all ended in defeat.

Jst just down the road at Moggerhanger Playing Fields, fifth place Moggerhanger United will be hosting fourth place Wootton Village and down the A603 at Bedford Road Recreation Ground, Sandy Reserves go into home action on the outlook for home win number four on the bounce against the visiting Flitwick Town Reserves who will hit the road looking for their own fourth league win on the bounce.