Hednesford Town return to league action this afternoon at the RACE stadium with another important Southern League Premier Central division match, this time against newly-promoted league newcomers Bedford Town.
The last time Hednesford were in the same division as Bedford Town was in the 2010/11 Zamaretto-sponsored Southern League. This was the season we finished second to Truro City and lost a heartbreaking play-off final on penalties to Salisbury City. Bedford finished 17th that season and we were laterally moved to the Northern Premier League for the start of the following season. The results in that season were both home wins – 2-1 to Bedford and 4-1 to Hednesford and our win included a hat-trick for Kyle Patterson. Bedford also knocked us out of the FA Cup in 2001/02 on the way to a first round proper match against Peterborough United which they narrowly lost after a replay.
Since the last league meetings Bedford were relegated to Step 4 in 2013/14 and have spent the last eight seasons (including two Covid enforced cancellations) in the Southern League Division One Central until they won the league last season only losing three out of 38 matches and scoring 100 goals.
The Pitmen are still looking for their first win of the season against a Bedford side who had a rather interesting start to life at the higher level. They began the season with a 1-1 draw at Stratford Town, having equalised two minutes from time. Then they beat Barwell 3-2 having gone in front three times and the winner coming ten minutes from time. However, “The Eagles” have lost their last two league games leaving them in 16th in the league table with their losses coming from a 3-1 defeat at King’s Langley and a devastating 8-1 home defeat by Tamworth in their last game, with defender Kai Phelan being sent off in both defeats. Bedford’s attendances averaged 539 in their promotion winning season and so far they have averaged 510 from their first two games. The Eagles have a settled squad having retained Connor Tomlinson, Drew Richardson, Hugh Alban Jones, Callum Donnelly, Charley Sanders, Josh Page, Will Summerfield, Joe Butterworth, Alex Street, Danny Setchell and Joe Steele (currently long term injured) from their promotion winning squad.
New signings over the summer include striker Tyrone Lewthwaite (Aylesbury United), full backs Sam Warburton (AFC Rushden & Diamonds) and Matt Moloney (Hitchin Town), defenders Kai Phelan (Barton Rovers), Luke Pennell (Braintree Town) and Jack Keeble (Wisbech Town), midfielders Sam Granville (one month loan from Barnet) and Jack Moriarty (Potton United), striker Liam Brooks (Berkhamsted) and the prolific 38-year old striker Craig Mackail-Smith who spent most of his career with Dagenham & Redbridge, Peterborough United and Brighton & Hove Albion.
Players leaving the club over the summer are 27 goal top scorer Rene Howe who couldn’t commit to the travelling at the higher level (Ware), Dan Walker (Real Bedford) and Lewis Miccio (Oxford City).
Both teams need a win and a good performance for different reasons after recent results so it should be an intriguing game at the RACE Stadium this afternoon.