Bedfordshire League: December 21 preview

Current leaders Shillington need just a point to stay on top of Premier Division supported by Sportsform table for Christmas - they visit Renhold United on Saturday.
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With The Shills currently on an 11 game unbeaten league run in which eight of those contests have see them gain the maximum three points you would perhaps not bet against that happening despite United having only lost just twice at home this season.

The only club that can catch them are third place Lidlington United Sports for whom it’s a trip on the road to Redborne School for an outing against Flitwick Town.

With The Town having won just the twice at home this season, United will start the day the firm favourites to collect their fifth away win of the season and at least jump up into second spot above AFC Kempston Town & Bedford College.

Over at Oakley Playing Fields, host club AFC Oakley Sports M&DH will be defending their unbeaten home record when called upon by a Marston Shelton Rovers side that has collected just a single from their last five outings to slip into the bottom half of the league table.

Whilst at Lodge Road, bottom of the table Sharnbrook go in search of their third home win on the bounce against a visiting Ickwell & Old Warden side that has lost its last three away games.

Other action comes at Rectory Road, the venue at which hosts Shefford Town & Campton face a Caldecote side who will hit the road still looking for their first away point/points of the season and at Weston Park, Wootton Blue Cross go in search of their third league win on the bounce and a quick seasons double over the visiting fourth place Wilstead.

In Division One there are four very significant games that could well have a major bearing in the promotion stakes come next April.

These come at Stockwood Park where league leaders Sundon Park Rangers will be defending their 100% home record against third place AFC Turvey who at present with their games in hand on the top two clubs are perhaps the current favourites to lift the league title.

Whilst at Alexander Sports Centre, second place Goldington face a visit from fourth place Eastcotts AFC who are now unbeaten on the road since losing at Sundon Park Rangers back in early October.

The third game is the Bedford Road Recreation Ground clash between hosts Sandy and Bedford Sports Athletic, a contest in which the hosts will start the favourites due to The Athletic having won at just bottom of the table Bromham United in their five trips away from their Grange Road base so far this season. Whilst the quartet of games is made up by the Groveside clash between sixth place hosts Henlow and the visiting Elstow Abbey. With the home side having won their last three home outings and The Abbey’s away form showing a yield of just six points from their six outings you would perhaps fancy Henlow to collect the spoils.

Meantime over at Chaul End Lane, Luton Boys Seniors will be looking for just their second home win of the season when visited by bottom of the table Bromham United. Whilst at Digswell Playing Fields, Shefford Town & Campton Reserves search out just their third home win of the season against a Woburn Lions side who have not won on the road since being successful at bottom of the table Bromham United in late September.

The final game in this division takes place at Ickleford Recreation Ground, the venue at which seventh place Marabese Ceramics play hosts to Brickhill Tigers.

On paper the top game of the day in Division Three could well be the Mowsbury Park clash between third place hosts Queens Park Crescents and the visiting league leaders Potton Town who will hit the road still holding down a seasons unbeaten away record. However, not far behind in the billing is the Hollow clash between two more of the promotion hopefuls where sixth place Potton United Reserves play hosts to fourth place Clifton.

Of the other promotion candidates, second place AFC Oakley Sports M&DH Reserves face no easy task when they journey to Solway Road North to be hosted by Co-Op Sports. Whilst at King George VI Playing Fields, fifth place Kings AFC will be looking for their third home win on the bounce against the visiting Cranfield United in a game perhaps the visitors need to win if they are to remain in the promotion race going into 2014.

Other action comes at Hillgrounds, the venue at which AFC Kempston Town & Bedford College Reserves look to extend their unbeaten home ways up to three games against Great Barford and at Gold Street, bottom of the table Riseley Sports are visited by an AFC Harlington side whose seven away outings this season have produced just a single win at Clifton back in early October to leave them with just three sides below them in the league table.

In Division Three both of the top two clubs will be hitting the road for their last outing of 2013. League leaders Meltis Albion making their way to The Warren to face Elstow Abbey Reserves and second place Stevington defending their seasons unbeaten away record at Cutler Hammer against a Kempston Hammers Sports side who will be looking for their third home win on the bounce

Of the other promotion chasing sides, two go head to head at Greenfield Road where third place hosts Westoning receive a visit from sixth place Bedford Panthers. Whilst for fifth place Kempston Athletic its the defence of their seasons unbeaten away ways when they journey to The Green to take on Ickwell & Old Warden Reserves.

Other action comes at Hillgrounds, the venue at which hosts Kempston Con Club Sports will be looking for just their third home win of the season against Wilstead Reserves and at Marston Playing Fields where Marston Shelton Rovers Reserves entertain an AFC Bush side who hit the road still looking for their first away point/points of the season.

In Division Four league leaders FC Houghton will hit the road for Blunham Playing Fields to face a Bedford Park Rangers side who have now suddenly found a rich vein of form and thus will prove to be no pushovers. Whilst for their two nearest rivals its the luxury of a home fixture. At Miller Road, second place Meltis Albion Reserves look to defend their seasons unbeaten home ways against Sandy Reserves and at Wootton Recreation Ground, third place Wootton Village play hosts to bottom of the table Flitwick Town Reserves who are still yet to win on the road this season.

Over at Moggerhanger Playing Fields its an early 1pm kick off for the local derby encounter between hosts Moggerhanger United and the visiting Mid Beds Tigers. Whilst just down the road at Harvey Close its a chance for second from bottom of the table Shefford Town & Campton A to record their first away win of the season when they are hosted by a Caldecote A side who sit just one place and two points above them in the league table.

Other action coming at Crawley Road, the venue at which fourth place Cranfield United Reserves take on sixth place Clapham Sports who are now unbeaten in their last three away starts and at Steppingley Road, fifth place Dinamo Flitwick play hosts to Atletico Europa.

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