Bedfordshire League preview: February 20

At their Renhold Playing Field base current leaders Renhold United search out their fifth home win on the bounce when called upon by tenth place Ickwell & Old Warden who will hit the road in quest of their third consecutive away win.

Whilst at their Church Lane base second place AFC Oakley M&DH, beaten just the once on home soil all season, host sixth place Ampthill Town Reserves who will be looking to end a run of four consecutive away league defeats.

Meantime at Jubilee Playing Fields third place Wilstead beaten just the once in their last 13 league outings face a second meeting inside seven days against 12th place Pavenham after last weekend’s clash saw them emerge 3-2 winners.

Whilst at Hillgrounds for fourth place AFC Kempston Town & Bedford College the visitors are third from bottom of the table Caldecote. Town go into the game looking to repair the damage of two straight home league defeats against a Caldecote side who have failed to win any of their last seven league outings.

Elsewhere over at the Warren for bottom of the table Elstow Abbey now on an eight game losing home run the visitors are eighth place Shefford Town & Campton who following five straight away defeats are now unbeaten in their last two.

Whilst for second from bottom of the table Eastcotts AFC, now losers of their last five league outings, it’s an away outing at Weston Park being the venue they share with hosts Marston Shelton Rovers who will be in quest of their third home league win on the bounce.

The final action of the day in this division comes at the Football Centre where fifth place Flitwick Town, beaten just the once on home soil in league action all season, play hosts to seventh place local rivals Cranfield United who will revisit the Centre just seven days after their Britannia Cup tie at the same venue which saw United run out the 5-2 winners.

In Division One supported by Wests Citroen Bedford action it’s a top against bottom clash at Stockwood Park Athletic Track where league leaders Sundon Park Rangers will be expected to extend their unbeaten league ways up to 16 games against the visiting AFC Oakley M&DH Reserves.

Whilst at their Playing Field headquarters second place Stevington defend their own unbeaten home ways against the visiting fourth place Meltis Albion who have won just the three times on the road all season.

Meantime over at Groveside it’s a real so called six point relegation clash when current third from bottom of the table Henlow look for their third home win on the bounce against the visiting second from bottom of the table Houghton Athletic who will hit the road in search of just their second away win that would see them climb out of the drop zone at the expense of their hosts.

Whilst at Gold Street for tenth place Riseley Sports the visitors are sixth place Ickleford who have been beaten just the twice on the road to date this season.

The final action in this division is scheduled for Rectory Road where eighth place Shefford Town & Campton Reserves look to extend their unbeaten ways up to four games against ninth place visitors Westoning.

For the lower division sides the main spotlight falls upon the semi-final ties in this season’s Bedfordshire FA Junior Cup and a trio of 1st Round Watson Shield games.

In those Junior Cup ties it’s an all division two clash at King George VI Playing Fields between the hosting Clapham Sports and the visiting Cople & Bedford SA. When these sides met in league action at the same venue back in mid-October it was the hosts who won 2-1 and another close encounter could well be on the cards.

Whilst at Cutler Hammer Kempston Hammers Sports of division two, who have been beaten just the once on home soil this season, play hosts to division four Stevington Reserves who will hit the road in quest of a spot of giant-killing that will enable them to contest the final tie which last season saw their first team lift the cup.

In those Watson Shield encounters Miller Road will be the venue at which Meltis Albion Reserves entertain Dinamo Flitwick in an all division three clash for the right to visit Wixams in round two just seven days after the sides met in league action at Flitwick where the Dinamo won 4-0.

Whilst at Greenfield Road division four Westoning Reserves have the chance of a spot giant-killing when they play hosts to division three Sandy Reserves and thus rewarded themselves with a trip to Hurst Grove to face Lidlington United Sports in round two.

The third tie is an all division four clash at Harvey Close where Caldecote A play hosts to Flitwick Town A. With the hosts having taken four of the six points from their two league encounters they will perhaps start the day favourites to earn a trip to Shefford Town & Campton A in round two.

League action in division two is down to just a single game when in Jubilee Park for third place Atletico Europa now winners of their last four home outings the visitors are the still 100% away from home and unbeaten league leaders Cranfield United Reserves.

The division four league action also down to just a single game which comes at Woodlands being the venue at which the hosting third place Bedford Albion are visited by second place Polonia Bedford who currently head them in the league standing by just two points.