Biggleswade FC bag crucial win over Risborough in title charge

Risborough Rangers arrived at the Carlsberg Stadium having put a spanner in the works of Baldock Town and Harpenden’s promotion hopes in recent weeks.

However Biggleswade deserved their victory although the 1-0 scoreline left the result on a knife-edge until the final whistle.

On Saturday FC travel to Langford for their Easter weekend derby before hosting bottom side Arlesey Town Reserves on Tuesday night.

With the returning from injury Ian Brown in goal his influence settled any early nerves. However Biggleswade lost Josh Holmes after four minutes as a 50/50 ball in the air saw him taken to hospital with blood pouring from his mouth.

With Pat McCafferty introduced in his place FC got their passing game going and with both George Riley and Joel Ives at their best they provided the platform for Biggleswade to go in search of a goal. Both Ryan Inskip and Tom Cookman found themselves in good positions but failed to get good connections to their efforts.

Adam Hunt produced two great runs and crosses, both Inskip and Alex Marsh seeing their efforts blocked.

The stalemate was finally broken on 32 minutes as Hunt and Marsh combined allowing Inskip to place his shot into the far corner. With FC looking for a second they produced their best as a flowing move from back to front saw an Marsh shot well saved. Risborough had three free kicks in dangerous positions with Brown superbly claiming two, and the other drifting wide.

Early second half pressure saw Biggleswade create openings, Lee Northfield finding Hunt whose cross begged for a finish but eluded everyone.

FC should have got their second when another Hunt ball saw Cookman with the goal at his mercy but he hit his shot into the ground allowing the keeper to gather.

The game though was probably won late on at the other end late on as Risborough saw an effort headed off the line by Bradley Stewart and Brown smothering a short when faced with a one on one.

SSML Division One

(top five) P W D L GD Pts

Biggleswade FC 36 28 3 5 80 87

Baldock Town 37 27 5 5 60 86

Harpenden Town 36 26 5 5 66 83

Langford 37 22 5 10 38 71

Harefield United 37 19 8 10 34 65