July 26, 2025
The new non-league season started today, with the step 5 Spartan South Midlands Premier Division being one of the few leagues playing this weekend, ahead of most of the leagues, who recommence one or two weeks later. This gave the opportunity to make a fifth visit to Risborough Rangers, who were hosting Biggleswade United.
Risborough Rangers Update
These diaries’ last visit to Risborough Rangers was in March 2024, when they beat Milton United 4-0 and were looking at potentially making a late run towards the promotion play-offs of the Combined Counties Premier Division North, but the season fizzled out and Rangers finished in 10th place.
Manager Mark West and a number of players left in the following close season, leaving new manager Mark Jones, who had previously been in charge of Banbury United, Hemel Hempstead and Oxford City, to build a totally new squad. Unsurprisingly results were poor and Jones left the club in December 2024 to be replaced by ex-FC Romania coach Kevin Christou, and Rangers ended the season avoiding relegation only on goal difference.
Christou left the club at the end of the season and in May Rangers announced that Sam Pateman, formerly assistant manager at Leighton Town and Bedford Town had been appointed as the new manager. However, without a game being played, an announcement was made that due to unforeseen circumstances, Pateman would be unable to continue as first team manager, and instead ex-Beaconsfield Town, Northwood Town and Rayners Lane manager Gary Meakin would be taking over.
For this season, Risborough were level transferred from the Combined Counties to the Spartan South Midlands, returning to the league they played in during the 2021/22 and 2022/23 seasons.
Risborough Rangers Pre-season
News of Risborough Rangers’ pre-season fixtures had been scant, with just the result being notified, losing 0-1 at step 6 Buckingham FC, winning 2-1 at step 4 Thame United, losing 1-4 at step 4 AFC Dunstable then drawing 1-1 at home to step 5 Harefield United.
Risborough Rangers Squad
Details of this season’s squad were slowly being released on Risborough Rangers’ social media outlets.
The first to be announced was 35 year old striker Elliott Buchanon, who was a substitute in the 2011/12 FA Trophy Final at Wembley for Newport County as they lost 0-2 to York City. More recently he had been playing for Rayners Lane and Beaconsfield Town, so would be familiar to coach Meakin.
Ex-Rangers defender Jordan Ajanlekoko was the second announcement, returning after playing for Rayners Lane, Beaconsfield, Northwood, and Ascot United, with whom he won the FA Vase at Wembley in May 2023 in a 1-0 victory over Newport Pagnell Town.
Striker Alex Cathline, who appeared in these diaries playing for Hertford Town in 2022, was also announced as signing, having played most recently for, yes you guessed it, Northwood Town and Beaconsfield.
Pen pictures had been posted on the Risborough Rangers website, which revealed young defender Scott Walsh was the only player to have played for Rangers last season. Two more players who had previously appeared for Rangers had returned to the club, defender Fabien Etienne, who had recently played for Marlow and Holyport, and 43 year old Sierra Leone striker Manny Williams ( 1 cap ), who had enjoyed his most prolific spells with Maidenhead United, Basingstoke and Slough.
Six more of the new signings had either played for Raynes Lane, Beaconsfield or Northwood Town, defenders Oliver Sprague and Keano Robinson, midfielders Aaron Minhas and Stefan Powell, winger Mihai-Andrei Chiriac, and forward Hassan Jalloh.
Keeper Ben Bridle-Card had joined from Chatham Town and numbered Maidstone United and Sittingbourne amongst his former clubs, and midfielder Harry Stratton was ex-Aylesbury United.
Biggleswade United
This is the first appearance of Biggleswade United in these diaries. Biggleswade FC were covered in November 2022 at Thame United leading to the below comment, which is still applicable :
“The Bedfordshire market town of Biggleswade, population just over 20,000, must hold some kind of record in being the smallest town to host three football sides at Step 5 or higher, with FC and Town at Step 4 in the Southern League Division One Central, and United in the higher echelons of the Step 5 Spartan South Midlands League. All three have average crowds of at least 130. The only other town I can think of with a comparable number of clubs at this level is Eastbourne ( Borough, United and Town ), which has a population of nearly 100,000 !”
Home for Biggleswade United is Second Meadow, which is now named Verdant Stadium, which has 260 seats and a 2,000 capacity. The club were reformed in 1959 and have been playing at step 6 or higher since 1995, and have a nickname of The Commoners. Spanish journalist Guillem Balague, a regular on Sky Sports or whoever is showing a Spanish side on TV, has been chairman since 2014.
Iin 2022/23 United had their best ever run in the FA Vase, winning 5 games to get to the 4th Round Proper. Last Season United finished 8th in the Spartan South Midlands Premier Division, Striker Liam Smyth scored 21 goals, whilst Scott Metcalfe scored 14 times and Kit Brown, who has been name checked in these diaries for Barton Rovers and Hertford Town, scored 12 goals. Their average attendance was 138, with the highest of 288 being for the last game of season vs Potton United.
Biggleswade United Squad
Biggleswade United had been active on social media in June and July in announcing their retained list and new signings. In addition to Smyth, Metcalfe and Brown, 12 further retentions were announced including captain Jaiden Irish, midfield/winger Mekhi Angol, last year’s player of the season centre-back Freddie Laraman, and keeper Josh Mollison
The new signings were the return to the club of Joe Hankins after spells with Crawley Green and Dunstable Town, ex-Berkhamsted and Harrow Borough midfielder Jeremiah Luwero who was most recently with Risborough Rangers, whilst brothers Blue Joy and Will McNeill had been dual registered from Hitchin. There were two other signings, Faris Angol, brother of Mekhi and young full back/midfielder Harry Chetwood.
Biggleswade United Pre-Season
Biggleswade had been very active in pre-season, playing seven matches. They began with an underwhelming 2-3 defeat at step 6 Stotfold Development, who had been playing at step 7 last season, but responded with an 8-1 victory at Peterborough FC, another step 6 side. A 3-3 draw was played out with step 5 Moulton from the United Counties League Premier Division, who are Risborough Rangers first opponents in the FA Vase, and this was followed with a 0-0 draw at step 6 Ampthill Town.
Biggleswade United completed their pre-season preparations with three wins, a 2-1 victory at step 6 Letchworth Garden City Eagles, a 5-1 win at step 5 Yaxley United of the United Counties Premier South, and a 2-1 win over step 5 Saffron Walden Town from the Essex Senior League.
Matchday Information
The journey from Biggleswade for Princes Risborough is 60 miles and should normally take 1 hour 20 minutes down the A1M and the A 41.
The weather at the 15.00 kick was dry and overcast with some threatening rain clouds overhead. Fortunately, the rain stayed away and the game was played in pleasant conditions with a temperature of 21 degrees.
Admission was £8 for adults and £5 for concessions, and an online programme was produced for the game. A cup of tea was £1, whilst cans/bottles of beer and lager were advertised at £3.50 and a small bottle of wine £4. Hot dogs were £4 and burgers were £5.
Parking inside the ground was full, forcing Fatbear to park in the lane to the Kamtech Stadium close to the next-door cricket ground, where a game was in progress. Space in the car park had been reduced, as the tennis club had built two extra tennis courts on part of the parking lot since my last visit !
Risborough Rangers were playing in their usual all red kit, whilst Biggleswade United where in blue shirts with white sleeves, with blue shorts and socks.
Biggleswade United live streamed the match on their Facebook page.
Matchday Report
Biggleswade kicked off down the slope and immediately launched a long ball towards the Risborough left-back position. After picking up the loose ball, Metcalfe crossed towards the near post, where the ball was scrambled away for a corner. The set-piece was delivered beyond the far post where Laraman was only able to head high into the air and the ball was punched away by keeper Brindle-Card.
There was no obvious pattern to the play in the early stages as both sides struggled to make an impact.
Risborough’s first attack occurred in the 8th minute when Manny Williams got past Chetwood on the left-hand touchline and then Chiriac showed skill to get past his marker and release Etienne to the byline. Bizarrely, the bouncing cross towards the near post was headed off for a corner by keeper Mollison rather than using his hands ! The corner was played short and wasted.
The home side had a great chance to open the scoring four minutes later. A long ball was played in the direction of Cathline, who under pressure from Laraman, played a dummy, and Chiriac was able to run free onto the ball and had only the keeper to beat. Unfortunately for the home supporters, the ex-Beaconsfield winger screwed his left-footed shot horribly wide of the far post and a glorious opportunity was spurned.
Rangers were getting on top and Williams did well to bring a long ball under control and played an inside pass to Chiriac, but the shot from 25 yards was easily saved. A cross from Exauce Kifwasima was then a fraction too high for Jalloh and the ball rolled off harmlessly for a goal-kick to Biggleswade.
For a brief moment it looked like the visitors had created a good chance, but although Metcalfe flicked the ball past Risborough centre-back Sprague, the touch was a little heavy and the ball went through to the keeper before Metcalfe could latch onto it.
The referee, Joanne Harwood, was allowing a few challenges from both sides to go unpunished so there was now a nice tempo to the match, although one or two players were prone to going to ground a little too easily and squealing for free-kicks.
United captain Irish produced a cultured pass to release Metcalfe on the right but the cross from the byline was at the first defender and cleared.
A drinks break was taken on the half-hour with Risborough at this point looking the more dangerous side, and Biggleswade were yet to create a decent chance.
Stratton then tried his luck from long range but his effort sailed a couple of feet over the bar before United finally had a shot on target. Smyth took a free-kick from around a distance of 30 yards, and sent it over the defensive wall, but keeper Brindle-Card dived to push the ball away, although frankly, it was a save he should have been expected to make.
Chetwood won another corner for United from which Carney’s header was cleared off the line. When Biggleswade reworked possession a scramble ensued inside the Rangers’ six-yard box but the home side eventually cleared. A long cross-field ball was intended for Metcalfe but Brindle-Card was alert to punch away for a throw-in.
With 5 minutes to play before the interval, Risborough had a free-kick on the left-hand side 20 yards from goal but Stretton hammered the ball into the defence wall. Biggleswade looked to break but Sam Day was outmuscled by Chiriac, who headed into the United penalty area whilst one or two Biggleswade players appealed for a free-kick. Chiriac’s shot was blocked but the rebound fell to Cathline who smashed the bouncing ball left-footed past Mollison from around 12 yards. 1-0 after 41 minutes.
The visitors forced two corners as they sought an equaliser before the break, the second after Luwero ran from close to the half-way line and played in Will McNeil, whose low driven cross was put out at the near post.
It remained 1-0 to Risborough Rangers at half-time which on the balance of play was a fair score, but Biggleswade United had got more into the game in the last 15 minutes of the half.
The home side nearly doubled their lead four minutes into the second period. Jalloh skipped past Chetwood on the left and played a ball across the goalmouth from close to the byline but the ball wouldn’t fall kindly for Cathline, who was crowded out.
A quick Biggleswade break led to a foul a couple of yards outside the Risborough 18 yard line. Smyth stepped up to side-foot but whilst he was able to curl the ball around the defensive wall, it also curled a couple of feet wide of the post.
A minute later Stratton was put clear on the United goal, but Mollison made a close-range block although a raised linesman’s flag made the save irrelevant.
The lively Chiriac went on another good run but after passing to Stretton, Laraman read the return pass and was able to clear for a throw-in to the home side.
With 54 minutes on the clock Metcalfe was well tackled by Etienne close to the corner flag. The Biggleswade made appealed in vain for a free-kick.
Three minutes late it was the visitors’ turn to waste a great chance. A flowing passing moving involving Luwero, Metcalfe and Chetwood saw a cross to beyond the far post where Day played the ball back across the goalmouth, but Smyth could only blaze over the bar from around 10 yards.
A good press from United then forced a turnover of possession deep inside the Risborough half but Irish shot over the bar from 20 yards.
Biggleswade were getting on top but a drinks break on the hour mark might have slowed their momentum. However, they were back on level terms almost right from the resumption of play. Metcalfe crossed deep from the right wing, McNeil turned the bouncing ball back across the goalmouth, but this time the ball found Day, who slammed the ball into the roof of the net from 10 yards. 1-1 with 61 minutes on the clock.
The game was now very open and Irish well to win possession and regain it back again after being dispossessed, to release Metcalfe, but the dangerous looking cross was cleared. Biggleswade then got the ball into the Rangers net as Metcalfe played a pass to Chetwood, whose low ball was turned in by Smyth, but the linesman flagged for offside against Chetwood.
The only yellow card of the game arrived in the 67th minute after Day pulled back Etienne after the Risborough left-back looked to run past him. Etienne had then attempted to kick-out at Day after being fouled, but escaped sanction for this.
Biggleswade United continued to be on top, perhaps their extra pre-season games had made them fitter at this point of the season. That said, the next good chance went to the home side as substitute Caleb Bolton weaved past Chetwood and played an inviting pass across the 6-yard line. Jalloh slid in but didn’t make a decent enough contact and could only steer the ball wide of the far post.
A long ball from Biggleswade centre-back Newman Carney promised to put Metcalfe clear but Brindle-Card came out of his area and attempted to make a clearance. His contact was poor but did enough to confuse Metcalfe, and the keeper was able to take possession and walk the ball back into his area and dive on the ball.
Day then shot wide from the edge of the Rangers area after Metcalfe did well to prevent the ball from going out of play.
The home side appeared to get a second wind as the game entered the final 15 minutes. Chiriac sent a 30-yard free-kick well over the bar. Kifwasima then went on a good run on the left and found Chiriac, who played in Stratton, but the finish from a good position went wide of the far post.
Debutant Chetwood then had to leave the field after a short delay due to a cut above his eye, following which Stratton sent a first time 25 yarder well wide.
With 6 minutes of normal time remaining, Rangers’ keeper Brindle-Card came out of his area to deal with a long ball out of the Biggleswade defender, but his clearance was mishit straight to Smyth 35 yards from goal. With an empty net in front of him, the Biggleswade marksman could only slice the bouncing ball over the bar.
Back at the other end, Carney’s poor clearance went straight to Chiriac, but the long-range attempt was partially blocked and Mollison made a regulation save.
The visitors thought they had snatched a dramatic late winner. Substitute Angol’s shot from the edge of the area bobbled slowly goalwards with the keeper wrong footed, but the ball struck the post, and Brindle-Card dived on the ball before it could cross the line.
Seven added minutes were signalled but despite strenuous efforts neither side looked like grabbing the winner. For Risborough, Kifwasima crossed straight to the keeper after a nice pass from Walsh and Bolton sent a 25-yard effort straight at the keeper who easily saved. For Biggleswade, Angol made a pathetic dive to try and win a free-kick near the corner flag, and was rightly ignored by the referee.
Honours were even at the final whistle, and a draw was a fair result at the end of an entertaining game. Risborough had looked the better side in the first period, but Biggleswade had edged the second half :
Online Programme : https://www.risboroughrangersfc.co.uk/news/biggleswade-united-programme-26725-2929774.html
Risborough Rangers : Brindle-Card – Kifwasima, Robinson, Sprague, Etienne – Chiriac, Jalloh ( Walsh ), Ajanlekoko, Stratton – Cathline ( Bolton ), Manny Williams ( Chukwama )
Biggleswade United : Mollison – Chetwood ( L. Williams ), Laraman, Carney, Baker – W. McNeil ( Angol ), Day ( Hankin ), Irish, Luwero – Smyth, Metcalfe ( Owusu )
