On The Home Front
Next up at Hillgrounds…
Opponent Bedford Town
Competition Southern League Division One East
Admission £9 adults, £5 concessions and £1 for kids. Supporters club members will receive their discount at the turnstiles on production of their membership card
Bedford’s Current League position 9/22
Last Time They Were Here… Town edged a pulsating 2-1 encounter in August 2016, Josh Winters scoring for Rovers on the night.
Bedford’s Current League Form (six games) WWLWWD
Did you know… In the year 796, Anglo-Saxon king Offa of Mercia was buried in the town of Beda-Ford- widely believed to be the original name of Bedford. The town’s first stronghold was built in 919 by Edward the Elder. The town was known as a big exporter of lace until the early part of the 20th century when improved river travel allowed Bedford to become part of the industrial revolution. The Bedford Boys schools boasts an impressive list of alumni, including seventeen who have gone on to be full rugby internationals. There is also an impressive list of people born within the town, which can be found here
In the bar afterwards Chelsea vs Crystal Palace will be live on the big screens.
On this day in Rovers history… In 1934, Rovers beat the marvellously named Shredded Wheat (Welwyn) by four goals to two at home in the South Midlands First Division. The Shredded Wheat factory still stands in Welwyn Garden City, but the team is long since defunct.

Rovers and Town have met a total of 32 times down the years as senior sides. Rovers have met with Town reserve and ‘A’ sides on more occasions as well. The first meetings were in the 1908-09 season, in the Bedford & District League, no results for the two games exist on record unfortunately. Rovers biggest win over Town was in November 1948, when goals from Leonard Fuller, J. Gabbitas and Albert Farrer sealed a 3-0 win.

Bedford have enjoyed a good season to this point and will be wanting to push on in to the play off picture. To secure a play off spot, Town will have to finish in a minimum of sixth place as the complex calculations for the best third placed team across the whole of step 4 currently sees Scarborough Athletic in the Northern Premier North as the ‘lucky loser’ to get the last automatic promotion place. Currently seven points off sixth place, Town have games against four of the sides above them to come in their run in. Town have lost only six of their sixteen games since the controversial postponement of their game against Fleet Town in November. Bedford boast a forward line of ‘goal-den’ oldies in 38 year old Paul Benson, formerly of Luton and Dagenham, currently on loan from Borehamwood, 33 year old Lee Roache, who came through the youth system at Barnet fifteen years ago and 31 year old Bradley Woods-Garness, who has international caps for Montserrat.

Kempston Rovers come into this game on the back of a sensational and hard-fought win over second placed Beaconsfield Town, a game in which five out of the seven goals scored were done so by defenders. Robbie Goodman’s first half hat-trick was his first in Rovers colours and nearly doubled his goal tally for the season. He now has seven strikes to his name this campaign and is closing in on his most prolific tally of ten, which he managed in the double winning season of 2015-16. Ben Shepherd will make his 100th appearance for Kempston in this fixture. The midfielder has become a feature of Rovers play with his range of passing and his energy in the middle of the park, he was the subject of interest from some clubs in the division above over the summer after his fine displays toward the end of last season. Ben has scored six times this season, twice from the penalty spot and three times from free kicks.

For this game, a large crowd is anticipated given the geographical proximity of the two sides and their similar standing in the league table. Please be considerate of local residents when parking at or near the ground or use local busses where possible.