Biggleswade FC 3 AFC Dunstable 0

Biggleswade 3-0 AFC Dunstable

Wednesday 1 st January 2025

Not the start we would have wanted for 2025 as we fell to our third defeat over the holiday season

and well beaten by a club that has become our nemesis recently.

The game (our first on the nice new Bedford FC carpet), saw Biggleswade FC very much start on the

front foot with a couple of more than decent chances in the first 20 minutes with a shot just wide

followed by another effort that Matt got fingertips to and divert the ball wide for a corner. AFC were

up against it during this period and did not register a shot on target.

Our first half chance came in the 24 th minute when Bruce chased a ball in to the box but the keeper

just got a hand to his attempted lob – a decent effort. AFC came in to the game a bit more but the

next effort was a wild shot from Charlie that went well wide. On 35 minutes we were awarded a free

kick a little way outside the box. Tali strode up with great purpose but not only did the ball go over

the bar, it also cleared the stand behind the goal and ended up on Real Bedford’s pitch!

Biggleswade were unlucky not to take the lead in the 40 th minute following an almighty goalmouth

scramble which saw the ball cleared off the line twice in the same passage of play – we’ll put it down

to good defending! Unfortunately for us it was a short reprieve as a minute later the home team

took the lead following a well crafted move – Rio Martucci with a smart finish. The last chance of the

half fell to AFC when Charlie hit a decent shot from a tight angle that the keeper managed to beat

away.

The second half started a bit brighter for AFC – the first 10 minutes saw the visitors knocking the ball

about nicely but unfortunately with no end product. The home side were soon back in control and

only a very decent save by Matt from a free kick with 57 on the clock prevented them from going

further ahead. It was 2 minutes later when Biggleswade did double their lead. A poor tackle by

Shawn gave the ref no option but to award a penalty which was duly dispatched by Daniel Bond. We

did get the ball in the net a few minutes later but Rico was always going to be flagged offside well

before he struck it.

AFC had a few half efforts – a Rico shot well over the bar – a header from Harry easily saved by the

keeper and a shot from George that went wide but we never really threatened to get back in to the

game. As the signal went up for 5 minutes added Biggleswade had a breakaway but Matt read the

strike well and pulled off a fine save. With pretty much the last kick of the game, Biggleswade

poured more salt on the wound as Temi Akinbsaye knocked the ball home to complete a miserable

day for us and take the points with a more than comfortable 3-0 victory.

MOM as voted by the committee was Charlie Davis.

Team line up (subs in brackets); Matt Bonsu, Albert Wood, Rico Greco, Charlie Davis, Harry Riley,

Shawn Joseph, Bruce Ovbiye-Nsang (Russell Berko 69), Keon Lewis-Burgess (Ben Lynch 73), Sean

Duodo (Levi Nicholson 83), Tali Jallow (George Joyce 60), Kyle Brooks