Waders move up a gear to despatch Stratford

This had the feeling of an end of the season encounter with both teams playing for pride only, no relegation fears or promotion hopes, and the game started as a quiet affair with both teams cancelling each other out.

Notable moments came involving the keepers. On 28 minutes Daniel saved point blank from Ben Stevens whilst at the other end a miracle dive by Louis Connor pushed a Jack Bowen header round the post.

Approaching half time George Bailey, having been a pain to his marking player all half, got to the byline and crossed for Bowen to scramble the ball home.

Straford were able to get back into the game seven minutes after the break when an attacker’s tackle in the box from Tony Burnett was adjudged a foul as Stevens hit the deck. The resulting penalty was despatched by the same player.

The Waders moved up a gear as the forward players took command. Burnett down the left fed Bailey who spun 180 degrees to fire in for 2-1.

Biggleswade ploughed on giving no respite to the tired defence, and Taishan Griffiths came on for a rare appearance.

It proved inspired as left than 60 seconds later a Bailey shot was only parried by the keeper and it fell nicely to Griffiths who wrong footed the lot and put the ball away. Biggleswade continued to press with Bowen hitting the upright.

It followed a 1-1 draw on a bitterly cold Thursday night at Kings Langley.

From a neutral point of view, honours were even with both teams sharing the play.

Michael Weiss scored for Langley midway through the first half, a curling shot that Daniel got his hand to but unable to push away.

In the second period Waders came out with renewed energy and dominated, rewarded by a goal special from outside the box from Bailey midway through to delight the travelling support.