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Match Preview - Biggleswade Town v Stourbridge

Match Preview - Biggleswade Town v Stourbridge

Nigel Gregg15 Nov 2019 - 20:40
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Our return to league action at Biggleswade Town is subject to a pitch inspection on Saturday morning between 9 am and 9.30 am.

Saturday, 16th November - kick-off 3 pm
BetVictor Southern League Premier Division Central
BIGGLESWADE TOWN v STOURBRIDGE

Ground address - Langford Road Stadium, Langford Road, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire SG18 9JT.

Directions - From the A1 heading South. The first exit for Biggleswade is at the roundabout next to Sainsbury’s, take the first exit to Biggleswade (A6001). Proceed straight over mini-roundabout outside of Sainsbury’s.

The road takes a sharp right bend, continue on this road and you will come to a mini roundabout at which you will need to take the second exit (going straight on). This is Teal Road which will turn sharply left after about 600 yards and you will then be at a set of traffic lights. At the traffic lights turn right. Proceed past houses and then some factories. Go under The A1 and the ground entrance is 200m on the right.

If travelling by car, please allow around two hours and twenty minutes travel time.

USEFUL LINK - Biggleswade Town twitter - @Biggleswade1874

The team coach departs from the War Memorial Athletic Ground at 10.15 am and is fully booked for supporters.

Stourbridge will wear their change strip of electric blue and black striped shirts, black shorts and blue socks.

Langford Road has been the home of Biggleswade Town since 2008 after years of ground sharing on an open space with the cricket club at Fairfield Road.

Last season Stourbridge secured a last gasp 2 - 1 victory away at Biggleswade towards the end of November 2018. Stuart Pierpoint inadvertently headed an own goal past James Wren to put the Waders in-front after 18 minutes, but Greg Mills levelled matters from the penalty spot twelve minutes into the second period before sub Rob Thompson-Brown netted a dramatic last minute winner with a free-kick from an acute angle that flew straight in.

The Glassboys completed a league double with a 2 - 0 win at the War Memorial Athletic Ground in February.

Kristian Green, Dave Bellis and Cody Fisher are injury doubts for the Glassboys, however Ashley Carter is available for selection again after serving a 2-match ban. A lack of league games recently has seen the Glassboys slip back to 11th with 21 points from 11 games but Ian Long's men have three or more matches in hand on the teams above them, however the management team will be keen that the Glassboys don't fall too far behind the leading sides points-wise while the Club also does battle in both the FA Cup and FA Trophy competitions.

The home side are currently under the caretaker managership of Chris Nunn, who has stepped into the breach following the resignation of Lee Allinson last midweek after around 18 months in charge. Allinson has since taken the manager's job at Hendon.

Nunn previously spent 12 years in charge of the Waders until the end of the 2017/18 campaign and led their rise up the leagues to step 3. He was their manager when they faced Stourbridge three times in the 2013/14 season, including the FA Cup 1st Round Proper meeting that the Glassboys won 4 - 1 to set up a visit to Stevenage in the following round.

Biggleswade Town have overcome a slow start to the new season that saw them lose three of their first five games to leave them 19th to since climb to the fringes of the play-off places again. They are currently 7th with 23 points from 14 league games.

In the last week they have added defender Lewis Ferrell from league rivals Hitchin Town to their playing squad.

Colwell: Strength in depth important for the Glassboys

RICHARD Colwell believes the strength in depth of the Glassboys' squad shone through in Tuesday's FA Trophy score draw with Lancaster City.

Ian Long made nine changes to the side that drew with Eastleigh in the FA Cup First Round tie last weekend, and the Glassboys' assistant boss was pleased with how the players performed against a strong Northern Premier League outfit.

"We were really pleased with them on the night," he said.

"Although we let slip a two goal lead, to play as well as we did against really strong opposition showed the strength in depth that this squad has. That's really important for us with the games coming thick and fast in different competitions - we need all of them to be ready to play."

The Glassboys return to Southern Premier Division Central action tomorrow afternoon for the first time in a fortnight at Langford Road (Kick-Off 3pm), and the trip to Biggleswade Town will see the hosts under a new management team.

Captain Ash Carter returns from suspension for Ian Long's men after his dismissal in the highly entertaining 3-3 draw at Needham Market, and Colwell says Biggleswade will prove to be good opposition ahead of the trip to Bedfordshire.

"They are a good side, and we need to be mindful of the 'bounce' a new management team can bring, too," he added.

"But we have been playing some good football in our last two games, keeping the ball better in good areas of the pitch, and we caused Eastleigh problems at the weekend, likewise with Lancaster on Tuesday, particularly in the first half.

"Will Grocott's goal last weekend was the perfect example of that, as well as Anthony Dwyer's debut goal to put us ahead on Tuesday night. We are looking for that to continue in the coming games."

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