AFC Oakley M&DH into Trophy semis

Bedfordshire League side AFC Oakley M&DH are into the Beds Senior Trophy semi-finals after a penalty shoot-out victory over AFC Kempston Town & Bedford College.
Recent action between Caldecote and Oakley M&DHRecent action between Caldecote and Oakley M&DH
Recent action between Caldecote and Oakley M&DH

They netted a 5-4 penalty shoot-out home win after 90 minutes play had seen the sides deadlocked at 3-3. Alex Liburd, Matt Barnes and Jack Goodacre were on Oakley’s their scoresheet against Town replies via Joe Hubbard, Humberto Mbunazo and a Josh Sturniolo penalty.

Alas it was the end of the road for Renhold United who were beaten 5-0 at South Midlands League Bedford FC.

The day’s top honour belongs to Eastcotts AFC who, after suffering four consecutive league defeats, returned to winning ways to send league leaders Shefford Town & Campton to their first defeat of the season. A strike from Tom Stonehouse on the half-hour mark gave them a 1-0 home win.

With the next three clubs in the league either on cup duty or sitting the afternoon out fifth place Flitwick Town took full advantage to close the gap at the head of the table on them all by taking their unbeaten ways up to six games with a 3-2 home win over bottom of the table Ickwell & Old Warden. Mark Skidmore, Glen Collins and Pete Kouwenberg netting the vital goals against replies via Zak Rowe and Michael Rushton.

The biggest win of the day came from sixth place Wootton Blue Cross who went five games unbeaten with a 6-1 home win over Wilstead. Carl Ibbotson and Phil Matthews netted twice alongside single strikes from Nathan Mallet and Ryan Mellor with the lone reply being scored by Kevin Butler.

Meantime still looking for their first home wins are AFC Turvey and Sandy. The Bedford Road boys were held to a 0-0 draw by Pavenham and AFC Turvey lost out 2-3 to a Caldecote side enjoying their first away victory. Conor Smith, Tom Wallace and a penalty from Jordan Goodman for Caldecote was answered by Adey Adedeji and Laurence Allen for the home side.

Elsewhere Sharnbrook returned to winning ways with a 4-1 home win over second from bottom Lidlington United Sports. Jim Burnside with a hat-trick plus a goal from Shaun Barnett scored for Sharnbrook, Jacob Ottley for Sports.

Division One supported by Wests Citroen Bedford

Henlow’s lead at the head of the Division One supported by Wests Citroen Bedford league table is now down to just a single point after their unbeaten away ways were ended with a 3-2 defeat at Bedford SA.

Paul Nigro, Daniel Bond and Joe Bridge on the home scoresheet against replies from a Phil Robinson penalty and James Campbell.

Whilst second place Elstow Abbey took full advantage of their slip up with a 5-0 home win over Sundon Park Rangers. Tom Pitts struck twice in the 15th and 25th minutes of the game to put them 2-0 ahead before Callum Davenport matched this by netting just 60 seconds later and then in the 33rd minute from the penalty spot to make it 4-0 by half-time. The nap hand goal arrived 17 minutes into the second period from Dom Parrella.

With third place Cranfield United sitting the afternoon out Great Barford are now just just goal difference behind them in the standings after netting win number eight on the bounce with a 6-1 home win over AFC Oakley M&DH Reserves. David Mulvhill with a brace being supported by single strikes from Michael Pickard, Nick Payne, Gary Canzano and Reuben Hukin against a lone reply from Louis Green.

For fifth place Meltis Albion it was home win number three on the bounce with a 3-0 victory over Shefford Town & Campton Reserves. Goals from Alex Smith, Callum Stuart plus a Dan Taylor penalty doing the damage.

Still looking for their first home win of the season are Marabese Ceramics and still looking for their first away win of the season are Queens Park Crescents after the sides shared the spoils in a 2-2 draw. Lewis Littlechild netting twice for the Tilermen and Hassan Yousaf twice for the Crescents.

Whilst for AFC Kempston Town & Bedford College Reserves it was the gift of three points after second from bottom of the table AFC Harlington failed to raise a side to meet them at New Grounds.

Division Two

There is no change at the head of the division two table following wins for the top five sides. For league leaders Westoning it was win number seven on the bounce to maintain their unbeaten away ways with a 3-1 win at Kempston Hammers. Shaun Cooksley, Glen Cooksley and Michael Armitt scored the vital goals against a lone Hammers reply from Nick Tysoe.

In second spot are Clapham Sports and for them it was win number six on the bounce with a 10-1 home victory over Kempston Athletic. Sam Maddix netting four times, Pete Bryant and Joni Umney twice to go with single goals from Luke Stone and Leigh Umney against a lone reply from Daniel Dobrzanski.

Meantime third place FC Houghton were chalking up their 10th consecutive win with an 8-4 victory at bottom of the table Wilstead Reserves. Mark Doran netting four times, Lawrence Taylor twice to go with single goals from Ali Mohiyaldeen and Nathan Prime against home replies via Chris Duffy twice plus Sam Ward and Matt Johnson.

Elsewhere fourth place Stevington stayed unbeaten at home and chalked up win number eight on the bounce with a 6-1 victory over Bedford United. Ben Walsh led the way with a hat-trick, Gavin White netted twice and Reece Williams once against a lone United reply via Aaron Perrett. Whilst fifth place Elstow Abbey Reserves returned to winning ways with a 6-3 victory at Caldecote Reserves. Myles Ferraro with a brace being joined on the scoresheet by Andy Klein, Shaun Cafferty, Jason Fleeting and Curtis McGall against home replies via Tom Dupey, Nicky Albone and Simon Ashton.

There was also a return to winning ways for second from the bottom of the table Marston Shelton Rovers Reserves who with their home ground unplayable switched their game to Renhold and duly run out 6-1 winners over Renhold United Reserves. Carl Borromeo with a brace being supported by single strikes from Mark Champkin, Dale Makiw, Andrew Elms and Gary Russon against a lone United reply via Michael France.

The final game in this section saw Moggerhanger United and Wootton Village share the spoils from a 1-1 draw. George Tyler was on the United scoresheet with the Village reply coming from Jacob Bassett, his first ever goal in Village colours.

Division Three

With the Westoning U20 v Atletico Europa game called off due to the state of the Greenfield Road pitch the only movement at the top end of the table saw climbs for both Ickwell & Old Warden Reserves and Flitwick Town Reserves.

Ickwell jumped from sixth to fourth following their 3-2 home local derby win over Mid Beds Tigers, Ashley Drummond netting twice and Ryan White once against a brace in reply from Tigers’ Jay Smith.

Town jumped from eighth to sixth with a 5-2 win at Caldecote U20. Oliver Banfield netting twice alongside single strikes from Benn Ward, Dean Conway and Mark Bartlett against home replies via Paul Rannow and Liam Thompson.

Both sides jumping above the now seventh place Dinamo Flitwick who were beaten 4-3 at home by Sandy Reserves. Andy Barker with a brace plus Uqur Demir and Adam Vass on the visitors scoresheet against home replies via Dale Goldie twice and Armando Gomez.

Watson Shield Round One

The biggest win of the day belonged to Cranfield United Reserves who ran out 10-1 home winners over White Eagles. Phil Kempshall netting four times, Adam Kerr twice to go with single goals from Daniel Mclaren, Ryan Collis, Jordan Conway and a Phil Distin penalty against a lone Eagles reply from Marcin Ptak whose cause was not helped by having their goalkeeper sent off after just 60 seconds play.

For Clifton it was a 3-2 extra time win at FC Serbia after 90 minutes had seen the sides all square at 2-2. Dejan Jeremic and Stefan Malijkovic on the home scoresheet against replies from a Tony Norman penalty and Callum McCoy before Chris Mattingley popped in the extra time winner.

Also winning 3-2 in extra time were Shefford Town & Campton A in a home win over Bedfordshire Youth Saturday League side Toddington Rovers U17, Town looking to be in full command with two first half strikes from Sam Larsen before the Rovers Sam King struck twice in the closing seven minutes to take the game into extra time. That time was within a minute of being complete when Rob Holmes headed in the Town winner to deny the Rovers of a deserved spot kick shoot-out.