Bedford Town host Wingate & Finchley in the FA Cup. Bedford have generally been picking up more wins across their recent matches than their visitors, who've had a much tougher time of things lately.
Both sides have already had to work for their place in this round, with tight cup ties along the way. That's worth bearing in mind before assuming either team walks into this one full of confidence.
Analysis updated .
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Recent form tells contrasting stories
Bedford Town's last 20 matches show 11 wins, 4 draws and 5 losses, with 29 goals scored and 20 conceded. Most of that sample comes from the National League North, plus a couple of FA Cup outings and pre-season friendlies. It's a solid return, with more wins than defeats and goals coming at both ends reasonably evenly.
Bedford Town: 20 completed matches; Wingate & Finchley: 20 completed matches.
Bedford Town
- Win
- 50% 10 / 20
- Draw
- 25% 5 / 20
- Loss
- 25% 5 / 20
- Scored
- 27
- Conceded
- 20
- Difference
- +7
Wingate & Finchley
- Win
- 35% 7 / 20
- Draw
- 35% 7 / 20
- Loss
- 30% 6 / 20
- Scored
- 26
- Conceded
- 32
- Difference
- -6
| League | Home | Away | Date | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National League - North | Bedford Town | Hereford | 26.09.2026 | 1-1 |
| FA Cup | Bedford Town | King's Lynn Town | 19.09.2026 | 2-1 |
| National League - North | Spalding United | Bedford Town | 12.09.2026 | 2-1 |
| National League - North | Worksop Town | Bedford Town | 08.09.2026 | 1-2 |
| National League - North | Bedford Town | Radcliffe | 05.09.2026 | 1-0 |
| National League - North | AFC Telford United | Bedford Town | 31.08.2026 | 0-1 |
| National League - North | Bedford Town | Spennymoor Town | 29.08.2026 | 3-1 |
| National League - North | Southport | Bedford Town | 22.08.2026 | 4-1 |
| National League - North | Bedford Town | Buxton | 18.08.2026 | 2-1 |
| National League - North | Bedford Town | Darlington 1883 | 15.08.2026 | 2-3 |
| League | Home | Away | Date | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FA Trophy | Real Bedford | Wingate & Finchley | 26.09.2026 | 0-3 |
| FA Cup | Wingate & Finchley | Hemel Hempstead Town | 22.09.2026 | 2-1 |
| FA Cup | Hemel Hempstead Town | Wingate & Finchley | 19.09.2026 | 1-1 |
| Non League Premier - Isthmian | Aveley | Wingate & Finchley | 14.09.2026 | 3-4 |
| Non League Premier - Isthmian | Welling United | Wingate & Finchley | 12.09.2026 | 4-1 |
| FA Cup | Felixstowe & Walton Utd | Wingate & Finchley | 08.09.2026 | 0-2 |
| FA Cup | Wingate & Finchley | Felixstowe & Walton Utd | 05.09.2026 | 0-0 |
| Non League Premier - Isthmian | Wingate & Finchley | Enfield Town | 31.08.2026 | 1-4 |
| Non League Premier - Isthmian | Chatham Town | Wingate & Finchley | 29.08.2026 | 2-3 |
| Non League Premier - Isthmian | Wingate & Finchley | Dulwich Hamlet | 22.08.2026 | 1-0 |
Wingate & Finchley's equivalent numbers are much shakier: 6 wins, 7 draws and 7 losses from 20 games, scoring 24 but shipping 36. Their matches have mostly come in the Isthmian Premier, with some FA Cup fixtures mixed in. That defensive record, conceding well over a goal and a half per game on average, stands out as the bigger concern in their recent sample.
Bedford's recent form looks noticeably steadier than Wingate & Finchley's, particularly at the back.
Comparative Team Statistics: Bedford Town vs Wingate & Finchley
Two different routes through the cup so far
Bedford Town's FA Cup form in this data shows a straightforward 2-1 win over King's Lynn Town, no replay needed. Wingate & Finchley have had a bumpier路径 to this stage: they drew 0-0 with Felixstowe & Walton Utd before winning the replay 2-0, then drew 1-1 with Hemel Hempstead Town before needing another replay win, 2-1, to advance.
Two replays in a row suggests Wingate & Finchley have been in tight, low-margin cup matches rather than comfortable ones. That kind of run can build resilience, but it can also mean legs and squads are being stretched.
Squad lists and player details
Squad and player details
| Name | Country | Age | Position | Height | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D. Walker | England | 36 | Attacker | n/a | n/a |
| C. Tomlinson | England | 25 | Attacker | n/a | n/a |
| R. Sinclair | England | 37 | Attacker | 178 cm | n/a |
| C. Sanders | England | 31 | Attacker | n/a | n/a |
| C. Mackail-Smith | Scotland | 42 | Attacker | 178 cm | 77 kg |
| R. Howe | England | 39 | Attacker | 183 cm | 89 kg |
| W. Summerfield | England | 30 | Midfielder | 183 cm | 74 kg |
| M. Sparrow | England | n/a | Midfielder | n/a | n/a |
| D. Setchell | England | n/a | Midfielder | n/a | n/a |
| D. Richardson | England | 26 | Midfielder | n/a | n/a |
| M. Harriott | England | 34 | Midfielder | n/a | n/a |
| J. Page | England | n/a | Midfielder | n/a | n/a |
| C. Donnelly | Scotland | 38 | Midfielder | n/a | n/a |
| S. Ayre | England | n/a | Midfielder | n/a | n/a |
| R. Watson | England | 38 | Defender | n/a | n/a |
| O. Swain | England | n/a | Defender | n/a | n/a |
| J. Steele | England | n/a | Defender | n/a | n/a |
| L. Octave | England | n/a | Defender | n/a | n/a |
| G. Haley | England | n/a | Defender | n/a | n/a |
| S. Gaughran | England | 36 | Defender | n/a | n/a |
| Name | Country | Age | Position | Height | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T. Monsheju | England | 32 | Attacker | n/a | n/a |
| C. Cole | England | n/a | Attacker | n/a | n/a |
| R. Laney | England | n/a | Attacker | n/a | n/a |
| J. Sharpe | England | n/a | Midfielder | n/a | n/a |
| C. O'Neill | England | 34 | Midfielder | n/a | n/a |
| D. Manu | England | n/a | Midfielder | n/a | n/a |
| J. Foley | England | n/a | Midfielder | n/a | n/a |
| T. Tejan-Sie | England | 37 | Defender | 168 cm | 74 kg |
| A. Rifat | England | 40 | Defender | n/a | n/a |
| L. Ifil | England | 32 | Defender | n/a | n/a |
| I. Ebelebe | England | n/a | Defender | n/a | n/a |
| J. Eales | England | n/a | Defender | n/a | n/a |
Putting the two form lines side by side, Bedford Town look the more settled and productive side coming into this. Wingate & Finchley's numbers, especially defensively, raise real questions about how they'll cope against a team that's been scoring and winning more consistently.
Without a market reference to weigh against that form gap, though, there's nothing specific to back here. The sensible call is to sit this one out rather than force a pick.
Who will win?
