Bedfordshire County League

Division 2

Wednesday 12th April 2023

Kick Off 18.15 Actual 18.19

Harlington Juniors 2 Westoning Recreation 1, attendance 92

5’ 1-0

20’ 1-1

70’ 2-1

@ Newgrounds Playing Fields

Sundon Road

Harlington

LU5 6LS

No Admission or Programme.

Once again the weather forecast was absolutely dreadful, but with three potential games within relatively easy reach of each other, this area looked worth taking a chance on. It was certainly worth it for the game, as 2nd hosted 1st in the league table, with Harlington starting the night six points behind, but with three games in hand. Bedford S.A. are also very much in the running for the title too, being a further three points back, but also having three games in hand on Westoning.

The match itself was really good and was played in front of a decent crowd for this level, helped by the fact that the clubs are only five miles apart. A wayward back pass was intercepted and finished into the bottom corner to give Harlington the lead just five minutes in. Westoning levelled fifteen minutes later with a long range effort that the ‘keeper should really have kept out. Westoning looked the more likely to win it, but the nearest they came to adding a second goal was when they hit the crossbar early in the second half. Harlington grabbed the winner with twenty minutes left, scoring from close range when a corner from the left was only half cleared.

The weather didn’t turn out too badly in the end and was only light drizzle when it finally arrived. It was really cold though. The club play behind the village hall. The pitch has a fair side to side slope and is situated beyond the cricket square, in the far right corner from the changing rooms. It looked like it had been cut recently and freshly marked and was in good condition considering the amount of rain recently.