Langford exit North Beds Cup and lose to Brimsdown

Langford fell to a 5-2 defeat to Brimsdown on Saturday in a match played on a 3G surface in snow flurries and a sub-zero temperature.
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The Reds were a goal down in less than 60 seconds, when the ball was played through to Rhys Watson who turned it inside for Issouff Couhgaiy to shoot home.

Langford woke up and in the 14th minute a Kamal Romain pass split the home defence and Sean Mboto latched onto it and shot to level the scores. However Vicente Disasi restored Brimsdown’s one goal advantage on 25 minutes.

Langford never really looked like getting back into the game, and so it proved on the hour when Rhys Watson headed home a cross from Bradley Harris, for the first of his brace. His second and Brimsdown’s fourth arrived six minutes later, shooting home following wasted possession by the visitors.

Langford rallied briefly and a through ball by James Lamptey, was collected by Sean Mboto who shot his and Langford’s second on 76 minutes. The home side had the better of the rest of the play and Larry Akanbi rounded off the scoring in the dying minutes.

Langford: Ben Warner, Tom Ryan, Jordan Stewart, Kamal Romain Michael Payne (capt), Adam Brown, Lewis Croucher, Charlie Rome, Harry Orr, Jack Edwards, Sean Mboto.

Subs: James Lamptey (used), Elliott Cracknell (used), Sam Dunn, Nick Thomas, Kieran Fordham.

- Two goals in a minute saw Bedford beat Langford 2-1 to secure a place in the North Beds Charity Cup final last Thursday.

The pitch was in fine condition despite the recent rain, and a still evening made for perfect conditions for football. The first 30 minutes were very scrappy, and only two chances were created. Bedford’s Martin Holland raced onto a through ball, but was foiled by the advancing Ben Warner in the home goal.

Luke Smith came close for the Reds, having controlled a long pass on his chest, he volleyed just wide.

Langford’s best move almost lead to the opening goal. A long cross field pass from Sean M’Boto found Nick Thomas in space on the right, his quick cross found Luke Smith, his shot hit the inside of a post and bounced away to safety.

Bedford then stunned the home side with goals in the 43rd and 44the minute. First Jordan Appleton seized on a through ball rounded Ben Warner, and then curled the ball inside the near post from an acute angle. Within a minute, Mick Fisher turned in space on the edge of the area and fired a low shot home, to end a poor half for the home side.

The second period opened with Langford attacking with far more urgency and intent. Even so, Bedford playing on the break wasted a good chance to seal the game, when Jordan Appleton found himself in space with just the goalkeeper to beat, but ballooned his shot way over the bar.

Langford managed to pull a goal back after 62 minutes when Luke Smith headed a curling cross from Nick Thomas home. The introduction of Lewis Croucher and Jed Wheeler added extra impetus to the Langford attacks, they laid siege to the Bedford goal in the closing stages without creating chances.