Initially Dunstable took a 3-0 lead as goals from John Shamalo, Louie Collier, and Kieran Hamilton gave the OD’s the advantage.
Shortly following the third goal was two yellows for Mitre Will Turner as he was promptly sent off.
Despite this Bishops Cleeve rallied to score 2 goals in as many minutes, with substitute Blaine Waugh assisting both. One goal was for Kai Newman, the other a Alaskan Ann own goal. But in the end the deficit proved too much.
Following a minute of silence and national anthem in honour of Queen Elizabeth II.
It was AFC Dunstable that started off the better team, and despite some good defence early on from Bishops Cleeve FC and particularly captain Sam Blackie who made a couple crucial tackles. It was the OD’s that took the lead through a Shamalo goal in the 10th minute.
A series of passes made their way down the left side before a cross found the central man who rose above anyone else and headed it in across goal. His first competitive goal for the club.
Bishops Cleeve started the second half a lot better than they did the first. They created the first chance of the half but the low cross could only find a Dunstable player. A trend which continued as George Box started to dictate the play through the middle.
Despite this Kieran Harrison scored from 20 yards out in the 59th minute making it 3-0 to the visiting team, after a late deflection off a Mitre’s player put it away from the home keeper.
Followed were the two yellows for Turner. Which should of killed any chance of a Cleeve comeback but substitutes Newman and Waugh combined for a brilliant goal for the later in the 81st. Which was quickly followed by an own goal committed by Ann In the 83rd.
It easily could have been two for the visitors in the 19th minute as the ball was worked into the box before bouncing around finishing Hamilton who put the ball on target and forced a great save from Lewis Clayton.
However this then unlocked a brilliant solo counterattack from George Box who took the ball to the other end of the pitch, beat his man and got a shot off which just missed the target as it rattled off the underside of the crossbar before Dunstable recovered and cleared it.
Eventually the OD’s did get their second in the 39’ minute as despite a block from Noah Smerdon the ball fell to Louie Collier who slotted it between Clayton’s leads and into the goal.
The Mitre’s best chance of the first half fell to Jack Watts but before he could get a shot off on a bobbling ball. Lewis Thorpe tackled the player with quite an outstanding lunge to bring the ball out of the forward’s path.
Smerdon gets a yellow card after his elbow found the head of Shamalo in the 31st minute, in what was deemed a reckless challenge by the ref. In a scuffle that followed the foul it was another yellow for the Mitres as Harrison Reeve got booked for a shove. Isaac Pearce also received a yellow 11 minutes later.
Jordan Frederick of AFC Dunstable was the only of the OD’s to receive a yellow.
Report by Oliver Lewis