What a great hobby this is!! A couple of weeks ago I received an E-Mail from Steve Hardy (the undisputed programme guru). Whilst uploading his latest list of early season programme issuers one particular entry caught my eye. I noticed that Dunton Football Club (recently promoted to the top flight of the Bedfordshire Football League) was one of the clubs that had produced a programme so far in 2008-2009. Result! With all the excitement of a youngster on Christmas Day my heart rate increased. In the time it takes to say ‘Football Grounds In Focus’ I had downloaded the forthcoming Bedfordshire Football League fixtures from the excellent Football Mittoo website. To my delight Dunton FC were in fact playing at home again on Saturday and a phone call to helpful secretary David Gill (07990785207) confirmed a 2.30pm kick-off. Game on!

I felt a bit like a commuter as the Wraymobile followed the same route along the A505 towards Royston for the fifth consecutive time this season. Within forty minutes of leaving racing HQ I had soon picked up signs for Dunton, a small Bedfordshire village located in the sticks about four miles from Biggleswade. A right turn opposite the March Hare pub takes you down Boot Lane before turning immediately left into Horseshoe Close where the road sign also directs visitors on to the Recreation Ground. Follow the windy road which takes you past the new housing estate until the ground appears at the end of the cul-de-sac.

The ground itself is set in a veritable oasis of green being bordered on all sides by either gardens or trees to give it a tidy and enclosed feel. A brick built clubhouse/pavilion with cosy TV lounge/bar and changing rooms is found close to the entrance on the right hand side. The pitch is only roped off on this side having more standing room for spectators unlike the opposite side where space really is at a premium. A very narrow strip of grass separates the playing area from a belt of trees, whose branches actually hang over the touchline in some places! At present there are no dug outs or cover - a feature of most venues in this competition! A children’s adventure playground, complete with a basketball shooting post, occupies land behind the goal at the far end.

Dunton Football Club was formed in the early 1900’s with the team initially playing friendlies against local sides before joining Division 2 of the now defunct Biggleswade and District League. It was not until 1952-53 that the Greens joined the Bedford & District League and played at the Millow. The 1970-71 season saw the club move to their present base in Horseshoe Close and after being elected to Division 3 of the competition achieved notable success in the Premier League finishing as runners-up five years later. Dunton had their best season in 1993-94 winning the league title with only two defeats out of twenty four played. However their fortunes took a down turn in 2005-06 when the club folded failing to field any sides the following season. Thankfully the club reformed a year later and placed third in the Bedfordshire Football League Division One gaining promotion to the Premier Division.

So far the club has played just two games in the current campaign having won one (3-1 v Oakley Sports) and lost another (5-0 v Ickwell & Old Warden). Renhold in contrast have only picked up one point with a 1-1 draw at defending champions Campton FC on the opening day of the season. The game, as expected, was a close affair with plenty of good attacking football played by both sides on a newly mown pitch that was quite soft in places. Dunton opened the scoring when David Pugh (10) latched on to a loose ball and beat the keeper with a cracking half-volley from outside the box. United were understandably rocked by this and lost their self-discipline arguing amongst themselves. Some good defending helped to steady the ship and they pulled one back when the skilful Dee Sayid (25) poked the ball in from close range. With renewed confidence Renhold soon doubled their lead  after tricky frontrunner Sam Maddix (30) finished a mazy run with a well struck shot into the bottom corner of the net. Dunton worked hard after the break but despite scoring a goal, ruled out for offside (48), could not find an equaliser. The game was put out of their reach when in form Maddix (75) scored his second from a sublime direct free kick to give United a rather flattering 3-1 victory and take all three points in a superb advert for the league. The game was expertly refereed by Keith Pearce.

The match played in warm and sunny conditions attracted only twelve spectators who congregated near to the touchline on the entrance side of the ground. A superb programme sponsored by SPN (Sports Programmes -Nostalgia Ltd, dealers in sporting collectables), was issued for the game. This is a superb production and is a regular feature of all first team games. Travellers should not panic if they cannot track down the matchday magazines straight away – no effort is made to sell them but they are in plentiful supply inside the players’ changing rooms. The coveted 12-pager comes complete with a green cover (to match the club colours) with all the important match details printed on the front; a welcome, BFL round up and review and statistics inside and both team squads listed on the back page. During the game I met up with Keith Harlow, the Renhold programme editor, who told me that, apart from his club and Dunton, it appears that Oakley Sports, AFC Kempston Town (also in the Premier Division) and Great Barford (Division 2) are also producing programmes this season. Paper-chasing heaven!! Although hot drinks were not available on the day, a range of cold drinks, crisps and chocolate were on sale from the clubhouse.

A visit to Dunton Football Club comes highly recommended and visitors will receive a warm welcome upon arrival. The standard of football played was superb and I found that it compared favourably with other leagues at the same level in the pyramid. The chance to pick up a programme (not compulsory for clubs in this competition) should also provide an added incentive. The joys of the Bedfordshire League football! 

Forthcoming home matches (all league) are shown on Mittoo and on the club’s informative website at www.duntonfc.co.uk . These are listed as follows:- 27/09 v Bedford SA; 18/10 v Blunham; 01/11 v Campton and

29/11 v Sandy.