Tale of two cup games for Bedford Town hosting Stafford Rangers and Peterborough Sports

Eagles third in the league as Rene Howe hits a hat-trick
Rene Howe scored a hat-trick for Eagles against Colney Heath      Coverage courtesy of www.bedfordeagles.netRene Howe scored a hat-trick for Eagles against Colney Heath      Coverage courtesy of www.bedfordeagles.net
Rene Howe scored a hat-trick for Eagles against Colney Heath Coverage courtesy of www.bedfordeagles.net

A Rene Howe hat-trick at Colney Heath on Saturday helped lift Bedford Town into second place in the table, just four points behind unbeaten leaders Berkhamsted. And although they're back in third now, over taken by AFC Dunstable who beat Waltham Abbey 2-0 on Tuesday evening, it's all very tight at the top.

Howe has now scored 13 goals this season, including eight in the league which sees him fourth in the Pitching In Southern League Division One Central rankings.

Howe gave Bedford an early lead against the struggling league newcomers and added a second in the 65th minute before making it 3-0 from the penalty spot in the 77th.

It was Bedford’s fourth clean sheet in a row after another excellent defensive performance and their first league visit to The Recreation ground in Hertfordshire after Colney Heath’s promotion.

“All in all it was a good day, a good solid away performance,” said manager Gary Setchell.

“If you come away from home in any league, at any level you take the three points and you go home and that’s exactly what we have done.”

With praise for Howe’s composed finishes, he said: “At the minute Rene doesn’t look like missing when the ball comes in. He’s just in that vein of every time he shoots he scores.”

This weekend the action returns to the Eyrie as Stafford Rangers visit in the Buildbase FA Trophy, before Peterborough Sports arrive for the Southern League Cup on Tuesday (November 2).

Setchell is looking forward to what will be a tough game against a Step 3 side.

“The players are looking forward to it and hopefully we can get four or five hundred down the Eyrie like we did last week and hopefully Stafford will bring a few as well.

“It’s a nice game for us, testing us and will let us know where we are at as well according to the step above.

“If they come down and smash us four or five nil then we know we are miles off, but I think it should be a good game,” he said.

“We will train twice this week and come in and have a go. Then it’s Peterborough Sports where again we’ll mix and match the squad and I’m sure they’ll do the same. It’ll be another nice game for us.

“If we lose two games it’ll be all hands to the league. If we nick the win, or two wins we’ll keep going the way we are.”

Kempston Rovers were the latest team to be beaten by Berkhamsted, suffering a 2-0 defeat at the weekend. This Saturday Rovers entertain Colney Heath at Hillgrounds in the league. Colney Heath are bottom but one in the table, with Kempston three places and five points above after three wins in their ten games so far.