GUILLEM BALAGUE: Bedford showed their quality and class after our warm welcome

It was always going to be a hard ask for us to get the better of high flying Bedford Town in this Bedfordshire Senior Cup semi-final and so it proved in the end although not before we shook our visitors by taking an early lead.

Bedford currently play one step – very possibly two from next season – above us in the Southern League Division One Central where they currently sit top of the table having lost just three out of 30 league games this season.

In the end class and quality told and we wish our guests well in the final and in their push for promotion into the Southern League Premier Central Division.

Once again a special word of thanks to our team of dedicated volunteers who stepped up to the plate to feed, water and generally welcome the 250 plus supporters, players and officials from Bedford that came to us for the match.

Thanks to Dan’s sister-in-law Penny who was great behind the bar ; also Joe’s dad Mark, Alberto the gate man, and Patri for her teas and coffees and Bradley and Simon on the gate and Paul Leslie on security.

So many who worked so hard.

And of course thanks to us who are there any way. Chu, Daz, Del, Hev, Tracey, and the Catalan physio with the worst discipliary record in the club.

And thanks also to our PA man, Nick Witcombe who our guests hailed as the best they have seen this season.

But that is far from the end from our cup commitments this season.

This Sunday (2pm kick-off) our women’s red side visit Wootton Blue Cross Lionesses in the semi-finals of the County Cup.

Progress with our women’s sides has grown beyond our expectations.

We originally had a five-year plan and in addition to being just one step away from a final, we now find our Red side in with a very good chance of finishing runners up in Division One in their first season.

Our women’s Blue side meanwhile have also far exceeded all expectations and a mid to top finish in this year’s campaign will set them in good stead for next season. This Sunday they welcome Bedford Ladies Development (2pm).

Our men’s first team will now look to get back to winning ways when they welcome Desborough Town to the Keech Hospice Care Stadium on Saturday (3pm) in an another attempt to pull themselves further away from the relegation places.

Our Under-23s, meanwhile, also face a Britannia Cup quarter-final match against Shefford Town & Campton Reserves on Wednesday night but before then travel to Biggleswade FC Reserves on Saturday (2.30pm)

We have also started a veterans side.

The idea initially was for next season but the Beds FA have asked us to get involved straight away in a cup competition and within two weeks we have already recruited more than 25 people.

It will be predominantly made up of former players, former coaches. And I will also be involved whenever I can, probably about one game a month.