PREVIEW: Beds County League

For Premier Division supported by Sportsform clubs this weekend brings about a mixture of league encounters and the rearrangement of those Britannia Cup ties postponed due to waterlogged pitches earlier in the month.
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In those ties over at Greenfields, Shillington having scored a 4-0 league win at the same venue over visitors Flitwick Town back in early November will feel confident of placing their name in the hat for the quarter-final draw as will Wootton Blue Cross when at Weston Park they entertain a Lidlington United Sports side they removed from the Bedfordshire FA Senior Trophy in mid-December but the other tie at Renhold Playing Fields is much closer to call when hosts Renhold United seek revenge for their 4-5 home defeat in mid-September when Ickwell & Old Warden pay them another visit.

The league action is a programme of just four games. Over at Hillgrounds, top of the table AFC Kempston Town & Bedford College will look to defend their 100% seasons home record when called upon by Caldecote who have only won just the once on the road all season. Whilst for Marston Shelton Rovers the task will be to end a run of three consecutive away defeats when they journey to Pavenham Playing Fields to be hosted by Pavenham.

Other action comes at Lodge Road, the venue at which bottom of the table Sharnbrook look for home win number three on the bounce when visited by a Wilstead side who are now unbeaten in their last five away outings and at Rectory Road, Shefford Town & Campton having lost their last two home outings look to repair the damage when visited by AFC Oakley Sports M&DH.

In Division One for league leaders Sundon Park Rangers its a defence of their seasons 100% home league record when in Stockwood Park they receive an visit from a Elstow Abbey side that are currently on a four game losing league run. Whilst perhaps their most serious challengers for the title, AFC Turvey defend their own unbeaten seasons home record at Stonefields against a Shefford Town & Campton Reserves who have failed to win on the road since their opening away encounter of the season at Woburn Lions back in mid-September.

For a quartet of division one sides its the rearrangement of their first round Centenary Cup ties postponed earlier in the month due to waterlogged pitches and for 2007-08 season winners Bedford Sports Athletic that means a trip to Woodlands to face home side Brickhill Tigers who will look for a repeat of their 4-0 league win over them in mid-September at the same venue. Whilst over at Alexander Sports Centre the visitors to face Goldington are Sandy in a game that could go either way.

The main centre of attention for five division two sides this weekend are the quarter-final ties in this seasons Bedfordshire FA Junior Cup. For Great Barford, its a Fisher Close home encounter with Luton District & South Beds League side FNE Rangers. Whilst the other four go head to head.At Solway Road North, Co-op Sports receive a visit from Queens Park Crescents in a game that looks far harder to call than the Hillgrounds meeting between AFC Kempston Town & Bedford College Reserves and visitors Potton Town who will start the warm favourites to make it into the hat for the semi-final draw after winning 5-1 at the same venue in league action just 21days ago.

With these cup ties taking place it leaves us with just a four game league programme in division two. For second place Clifton it will be the search of away win number three on the bounce when they journey to Oakley Playing Fields to face third place AFC Oakley Sports M&DH Reserves who will be on the outlook for their fourth home win on the bounce. Whilst at King George VI Playing Fields sixth place hosts Kings AFC look for their third home win on the bounce when called upon by AFC Harlington who to date have won just the once on the road in league action all season.

Other action comes at The Hollow where fifth place Potton United Reserves play hosts to seventh place Cranfield United and at Gold Street its a clash between the bottom two sides when bottom of the table hosts Riseley Sports receive a visit from Renhold United Reserves who are yet to win on the road this season.

In Division Three for the league leaders Meltis Albion it will be the defence of their seasons 100% home record at Miller Road when they are called upon by a Kempston Athletic side hitting the road to defend their own seasons unbeaten away record. Whilst also defending their seasons unbeaten away record will be second place Stevington when they journey to the Warren to be hosted by third place Elstow Abbey Reserves.

Over at Greenfield Road, fourth place Westoning are visited by sixth place Bedford Panthers and at Cutler Hammer, its local derby action between hosts Kempston Hammers on the lookout for their third home win on the bounce against the visiting Kempston Con Club Sports who have lost all of their last three away outings.

Down at the other end of the table, basement side Clifton Reserves will be in home Whiston Crescent action against an Ickwell & Old Warden Reserves side that has won just the once on the road all season and for second from bottom of the table AFC Bush it will be a trip to Jubilee Playing Fields in search of their first away point/points of the season when they are the visitors to face Wilstead Reserves.

The top game in division four takes place at Wootton Recreation Ground where third place Wootton Village will be looking to become only the second club this season to lower the colours of the visiting league leagues FC Houghton. Whilst second place Meltis Albion Reserves will be expected to return to winning ways on the road when they journey to Harvey Close to take on Caldecote A.

Over at Blunham Playing Fields, Bedford Park Rangers will look to continue their recent unbeaten home ways when visited by bottom of the table Shefford Town & Campton A whose away record to date reads played six, lost six. Whilst just down the road at Moggerhanger Playing Fields, hosts Moggerhanger United take on the visiting Atletico Europa.

Elsewhere, fourth place Dinamo Flitwick journey to Sandy Place Academy to take on Mid Beds Tigers and at Redborne School, its the quest of home win number three on the bounce for hosts Flitwick Town Reserves when called upon by a Clapham Sports side that has lost just the twice on the road all season.

The final action coming at Crawley Road, the venue at which seventh place Cranfield United Reserves will not find it easy to return to winning ways as their visitors are the in form ninth place Sandy Reserves.