Having slipped a bit recently we might have preferred not to play away to this season’s favourites for the championship. Real Bedford have emerged from (I hope they’ll excuse me) relative obscurity under a variety of names since their origins in 1957. Now they are pushing for promotion to Step 3 thanks to significant financial backing. Significant enough for Wikipedia to tell us that their chairman has ambitions to reach the Premier League.

For the moment their ambition is focussed on reaching our premier division. They’ve made a good start with an 8-0 home win over North Leigh suggesting that they have what it takes.

No one is perfect of course and they had a setback losing 2-1 at home to Welwyn Garden City – we know all about that. Despite that they sit handily placed just a point behind the two leading sides and, with a look at our recent results, will be hoping to get further into their stride on Saturday in what is the first meeting between the two clubs.

We will be missing Lewis Thomas, suspended after his red card last Saturday; and following Tuesday’s game I understand that Josh Okotcha is now on the injured list. Also at the time of writing I have no news on Makye Townsend-West’s calf injury. This won’t be a good day to be without any of our central defenders.

There’ll be no coverage by Pete and Symon this week so we’ll be hoping as many of you as possible will be there to cheer the team on. Though Real Bedford’s website seems reluctant to tell us where their ground is lots of you will know that it is next door to Bedford Town’s Eyrie stadium. In any event, directions are provided via the link on their address at the top of this page.

The recent heavy rain in the south midlands could cause pitch problems. We will let you know here and via social media should the match be affected.

Meanwhile there are three youth games on Sunday at the Park with the pitch unaffected by the rain. The under-13s meet Hertford Town at 10am followed by the under-14s at 12 entertaining Colney Heath before the under-18s welcome Welwyn Garden City at 2pm, all games are league matches. Entry is free and the club room and tea bar will be open.