Easter Monday will see Kempston make the short trip to Barton Rovers as two local rivals clash for a play off place in Southern League Division 1 Central. Saturday’s win saw Kempston lift into the play off places. Barton’s only two defeats in their last ten games have come against the two sides directly above them in the table, Royston and Farnborough. If you look across the last ten games, Barton have taken twenty points. Kempston, in the same time frame, have taken twenty one.
The second shortest away trip of the season is listed as just twenty minutes long on Google Maps.Head to the A6 and head toward Luton. When approaching the Barton-le-clay roundabout, take the second exit, going straight on into the village. There is another, smaller roundabout almost immediately, take the first exit on this and head through the village. Should you wish, there are two rather nice public houses on the right hand side as you go through. The Waggon & Horses and The Bull both offer a range of adult beverages and food. Although, go early if you intend to eat in The Bull as the service is…erm…leisurely. After the pubs and a few shops there is a mini roundabout, go straight over this, signed toward Hitchin. Make sure you don’t take the slip road on the left at this point. The ground entrance is on the right hand side after you go past the turning for Hexton Road. There is ample parking for what should hopefully be a big crowd. Be aware, the driveway up to the club is single track and shared by a local scout group and does have some rather savage speed bumps along it.
Barton have been competing in this league since 2004, they managed to get to the play off final in 2015, losing out to Bedworth on the day with a couple of very late goals. This aside, Barton largely been a lower mid-table club with league finishes ranging from eleventh to twentieth in the last ten years.
Elsewhere in the race for a play off place; Marlow, just one point above Rovers, are at home to our dear friends from Chalfont. Egham, two points behind us, travel to midtable Beaconsfield and Dunstable, three points behind us, host lowly Aylesbury. Bedford Town can no longer mathematically reach the play offs, meaning Kempston can finish no lower than seventh place. A magnificent achievement for our first season at this level.
Our previous meeting with Barton was at the turn of the year, where Barton took the three points in a tight game. Kempston fans will much prefer to remember last season’s North Bedfordshire Charity Cup final, coming from a goal down with ten men to clinch the double in the last seconds of the season.