Bedfordshire County League

Premier Division

Saturday 14th October 2017

Kick Off 14.00. On Time

A.F.C. Kempston Town & Bedford College 2 Caldecote 2,  attendance 96

9’ 1-0

22’ 1-1

33’ 2-1

36’ 2-2 (pen)

@ Kings Field Sports & Community Club

1, Great Spur

Biddenham

MK40 4WG

No Admission

£2 Programme, 20 pages.

This was the first game ever played at the complex and in fact, it was only actually passed off for use on Thursday. It will also be home to Bedford Tigers R.L.F.C. although it was not clear whether they will actually play on the same pitch. There are at least 5 pitches here, but the club would never be able to progress up the pyramid as the pitch is too far from the changing rooms. It does seem odd that a brand new facility has been built without having the main pitch next to the only building on site.

It was another match featuring two of the early pace setters, being 4th v 2nd. A decent first half, but the second half tailed off somewhat.

I only did the first two matches of the Groundhop, as I had already visited the third ground of the day at Cranfield United, as they have had floodlights for as long as I can remember, going back to their days in the Spartan South Midlands League. I saw them lose 0-4, versus Olney Town (of the United Counties League) in a Buckinghamshire Charity Cup 1st Round match on 2nd October 2002.

Bedfordshire County League

Division 1

Saturday 14th October 2017

Kick Off 11.00  Actual 11.02

Wixams 4 Sandy 1,  attendance 104

6’ 1-0

20’ 2-0

36’ 3-0

63’ 4-0

69’ 4-1

@ Green Lane

Wixams

MK42 6DA

No Admission

£2 Programme, 12 pages.

This was game 1 of the annual ‘Bedfordshire Hop’, which is a one day event, which takes in three matches. The nice thing about this Hop is that it is not run by Groundhop UK, so it is a much more relaxed day, where the focus is more about the clubs themselves, rather than the ‘look how great we are’ antics we have otherwise. Admission prices are also far more sensible for the level of football on offer, as it is not possible to take money at the majority of the grounds, so the ‘gate’ is taken by way of the match programme sales.

Originally, the day was to have started elsewhere, but the intended host club pulled out. Wixams duly stepped in to take their place. They normally play on the 3G pitch at the complex, but due to the short notice, the pitch was already booked, so today’s game was taking place on the grass pitch instead, which to be honest, was a far better ‘ground’, although the dugouts left a lot to be desired.

The match itself was 5th v 1st in the league table and if anybody had watched the game without knowing which team was which, then they would have never believed it was the table toppers that took a thrashing and they actually got off lightly by only losing by three goals.