Henlow Reserves beat Bedford Albion to lift Beds Junior Cup

The game starting in explosive fashion with the Albion going ahead with just three minutes on the watch, Adam Lewis delivering a long range effort which cannoned against the uprights and ended up in the back of the net via the back of Henlow goalkeeper Andrew McEwan.

However the rest of the half belonged to Henlow who saw effort after effort fail to hit the target. or end up in the arms of Albion keeper Stephen Popland.

However the game was to turn inside a five minute spell 20 minutes from time. First Andrew Newton drew the sides level and then Chris Powell hit the winner which upon reflection saw justice done.

This season’s Britannia Cup final will be between Caldecote and Stevington after they both won on the road. Caldecote had to come from behind with a goal from substitute Carl Heath after Chris Butler had netted for Wootton Blue Cross to end the 90 minutes at 1-1. before they won the penalty shoot-out 4-2. Goals from Jordan Wright and Antonia Mitri saw Stevington 2-1 winners at Shefford Town & Campton whose goal came from Lewis Taylor.

Premier Division supported by Sportsform

With the top two clubs away on Britannia Cup duty third place Ickwell & Old Warden now only trail them on goal difference after they recorded their third home win on the bounce with a 1-0 victory over AFC Kempston Town & Bedford College thanks to a goal from Marko Tobdzic.

Fourth place Crawley Green Reserves kept themselves very much in the championship race with a 6-1 home win over Queens Park Crescents. Temitayo Akerele, Robert Newman, Cameron Veazey, Lewis Billington, Jarrad Isles goals alongside an own goal did the damage against a lone Crescents reply from Ghulam Murtaza. Going nap were Wilstead with a 5-2 home victory over Sharnbrook. Ryan Davenport and Kevin Butler both netted twice and Paul Jones once against Sharnbrook replies via Joe McDonagh and Lewis Donald.

Elsewhere AFC Oakley M&DH chalked up their fourth win on the bounce in beating Marston Shelton Rovers 2-0 in a game switched and played on their own ground, Dan Kelly and Elijah Hukin netting the M&DH goals.

Flitwick Town are now without a home win in five starts after being beaten 3-1 by Cranfield United. Joe Sames with a brace including one from the penalty spot plus Ryan Collis netted for the United against a Town reply via Phil Matthews.

Division One supported by O’Neills

There is no change at the top of Division One supported by O’Neills following home wins for the top three sides. Leaders Totternhoe Reserves retained their 100% home record with a 7-1 win over Shefford Town & Campton Reserves. Tom Howson led the way with a hat-trick and was joined on the home scoresheet by single goals from Jonny Clarke, Lee Fromant, Cullum Horgan and Braydon Judge against a lone Town reply from Sam King.

Second place Riseley Sports recorded home win number eight on the bounce in beating Flitwick Town Reserves 4-1. Jack Healey, James Cooke, Jay Willett and Jason Woolf all found the back of the net against a lone Town reply via Mark Bartlett.

Whilst for third place Wixams, a penalty from Grant Tibbett secured them a 1-0 victory over Lea Sports PSG.

AFC Kempston Town & Bedford College Reserves find themselves in fourth and above Lea Sports PSG on goal difference after they ran out 6-1 home winners over bottom of the table Meltis Albion. Martin Ivy netted five times and Paul Obuch the once against a lone penalty reply via Albion’s Fabio Esposito.

Whilst second from bottom The 61 FC Luton Reserves were beaten 7-1 at home by Cople & Bedford SA. Daniel Bond with a hat-trick, Ollie Hughes with a brace plus single goals from Gary Canzano and Lucas Banton only being replied to once by Amirui Hanza.

Cranfield United Reserves extended their unbeaten home sequence to four games with a 2-1 victory over a Henlow side who were losing their fifth away game on the bounce. Luke Gray and Ryan Collis were on the United scoresheet against a Henlow reply from Charlie Willison.

Also extending their home unbeaten run were Sandy, now up to six games after sharing the points at Bedford Road with Biggleswade FC Reserves in a 2-2 draw. Aaron Seldon and Daniel Whitten scored the home goals and George Holman and John Veal replied for the visitors.

Division Two

With leaders Henlow Reserves sitting the afternoon out their lead is now down to just two points following away wins for Wilstead Reserves and Marston Shelton Rovers Reserves.

For second place Wilstead Reserves it was a 5-2 victory over Westoning. Luke Pursey with a brace plus single goals from Glen Tumulty, Sam Ward and Jamie Lovell were replied to twice by Harry Bushbridge and Lewis Cooksley.

The Rovers extended their unbeaten record to 13 games by also going nap in winning 5-2 at Caldecote Reserves. Lorenzo Jordan with four goals and Jake Cullum brought the Rovers nap hand up against home replies from Josh Wilson and Nick Thomas.

However despite these wins Henlow’s main rivals for the title come in the shape of Bedford Albion who they defeated in that Junior Cup win. They now sit in fourth spot just four points shy of the league leaders but have played two games fewer.

There was also a victory on the road for Atletico Europa at the ninth time of asking in beating Houghton Athletic 3-1 who have now lost their last eight games. Abdoulaye Diallo, Paddy Alimanji and Alessandro Leonetti were on the visitors’ scoresheet against a lone reply via Kelly Ajayyi.

Whilst a fourth away win of the day was achieved by Elstow Abbey who won 2-0 at CS Rovers thanks to goals from James Reynolds and Matt Poulton.

The lone home win of the day belonged to Sundon Park Rovers who with a goal from Jordan Holmes were 1-0 winners over AFC Oakley M&DH Reserves.

Division Three

The chase for the Division Three title remains in the melting pot after three point hauls by the top two clubs. Current leaders Kempston Athletic extended their unbeaten run to 14 games with a 4-3 home victory over Black Swan thanks to braces of goals from Craig Damon and James Maxwell against Swan replies via Danny McGovern twice and Kai Buccerio once. Harlington’s points came much easier when gifted them by Flitwick Town A who failed to raise a side to play them.

The biggest win of the day belonged to Bedford Albion Reserves, 8-1 home victors over Lidlington United Sports. Tom Wade and Michael France with braces joined on the Albion scoresheet by Brandon Hung, Josh Emmerton, Aaron Fletcher and Craig Hanna against a lone United reply from Ed Janes.

Whilst the biggest away winners were Shefford Town & Campton A who won 5-1 at Dinamo Flitwick, their first away win in six outings. Gareth Head with a brace joined on the Town scoresheet by single goals from Josh Lummis, Ben Sheehan and Stephen Howe against a lone home reply via Tom Sargent.

Also going nap were White Eagles who moved themselves off the bottom with a 5-2 home victory over AFC Kempston Town & Bedford College A. Jan Bucur with a hat-hatrick was joined on the Eagles scoresheet by Oskar Szaryck and Rafal Cygan against Town replies via Steven Capener and Arkadiusz Boruch.

Whilst Clifton remain unbeaten on home soil after beating Stevington Reserves 3-1. Charlie Watson, Joe Worboys and Ross Donaldson netted the goals against one in reply from Noel Shankland.

Elsewhere, Caldecote A are now unbeaten in their last 11 starts and Sandy Reserves in their last six starts after they shared the points in a 2-2 draw at Harvey Close. Sam Nightingale and James Whitmore were on the home scoresheet and Aiden London and Sean Duignan replying for the visitors.