Joy and despair for Biggleswade clubs in play-off challenges
There were mixed fortunes for Biggleswade’s clubs this week when it came to their pursuit of a play-off place in their respective divisions.
Biggleswade FC and Biggleswade Town both secured their top five finishes in the SPL Division One Central with there being a strong likelihood they could play each other in the play-offs depending on results in the final two games of the campaign.
But Biggleswade United saw their hopes end on Tuesday night as despite having been in the top five for much of the SSML Premier Division campaign, an eight-game winless run to end the season proved costly as FA Vase finalists Cockfosters beat them 3-2 at the Verdant Stadium, just days after Baldock Town had beaten United 3-0.
United’s season is now complete, with sixth place guaranteed given they have an eight point lead over seventh-placed Tring who have one game to play.
Boss Kane Dougherty said: “We’ve done really well and punched above our weight a bit at times, but as a group we’re devastated not to have the chance to gain promotion through the play-offs.
"That was the aim at the start of the season and we knew it would be very difficult, and we’ve finished sixth which is arguably the worst place you can finish in that sense.
"But we’ve got 20-plus more points than last year so we need to take that and hopefully the lads will learn from the last month to help them in their future careers.”
*FC won 3-1 at Northwood on Saturday to seal their play-off berth, a 5-1 success at AFC Dunstable moving them five points clear of Town in fourth, the Waders having beaten Flackwell Heath 1-0 on Saturday.
FC now host Beaconsfield on Saturday and then go to Flackwell Heath on the final day, whilst Town go to Thame on Saturday before hosting Marlow on the last day of the regular season, the play-offs commencing on April 28.