The Round-Up

Sunday 9th September

 The new season of county league football got underway across Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire this Sunday with there once again being 3 divisions, an influx of new sides seeing those swell in number 28 teams in all with 9 in Division One including Hemel Hempstead Town Ladies as well as Garston Ladies 2nd XI and Welwyn Pegasus Sapphires both promoted. Division Two featuring 10 sides with Watton Ladies dropping down, Bedford Ladies Development, Wheathamstead Wanderers Ladies, Welwyn Pegasus Azures and Evergreen Ladies all moving up a league. 6 new sides joining Division Three, 9 sides in all, AFC Kempston Town & Bedford College LFC, AFC Dunstable Ladies Reserves, Kempston Rovers Ladies, Stotfold Juniors Ladies, Langford Ladies and Buntingford Town Ladies the new names. As is Biggleswade United Ladies who were formerly Shefford Town & Compton Ladies. Woburn Lionesses having just the one side this season. Potters Bar United Ladies a late withdrawal from the league. 

9 matches taking place on the opening weekend all the action covered below.

Beds & Herts Women’s Division One

 Two matches taking place in Beds & Herts Women’s Division One on the opening day of the season and it was a great start to the season for Sharnbrook WFC as they started their season at home with victory over Garston Ladies 1st team. Emma Butler scoring twice in the game with Hoffi Pursey and Charlie Mullins also bagging themselves a goal in a 4-1 win.

   Houghton Athletic Ladies also began their league campaign with a home game against last season’s runners-up, Northwood Ladies. The visitors having just the 9 players available at the beginning of the season ran Houghton close nonetheless scoring twice in the match, Houghton coming out on top however clinching a 3-2 win courtesy of a brace from Emily Wilson last season’s top scorer with 24 goals along with an opening game goal for Emily Peat.

Beds & Herts Women’s Division Two

  3 games to start the season in Beds & Herts Women’s Division Two on Sunday and it was a good start to the season for last season’s Division Three Champions, Bedford Ladies Development. Away to Watton Ladies on the opening day came home with a 4-2 win, Jessica Bunnage and Sarah Ridley getting the Bedford goals first half with Amy Butler and Katy Peters making it 4 in the 2nd half. Emma Carter and Gemma Bickell with the goals for Watton Ladies who will be hoping for a better season following last season’s difficult campaign in Division One. 

   Also starting their season with an opening day win are Hitchin Town Ladies, as they secured the win at home against Evergreen Ladies on Sunday. Not quite the way they would have wanted but it was the difference in a close contest, Evergreen unfortunately putting through their own net the goal the 1-0 result going Hitchin Town’s way.

   Elsewhere on the opening day in Beds & Herts Women’s Division Two the points were shared between Royston Town Ladies Development and Hitchin Belles. Abby Laughlin and Megan Kaba both scoring a goal each for Royston they couldn’t capitalise allowing Hitchin Belles to get back into the game Shannon Page and Katie White sending the ball into the back of the net to earn the visitors a point in a 2-2 draw. 

Beds & Herts Women’s Division Three

A host of new names to kick-off the season in Beds & Herts Women’s Division Three and it was a big win for one on the road against another on Sunday. A result Buntingford Town Ladies will want to get out of their system as they as they were soundly beaten at home against AFC Kempston Town & Bedford College LFC. Chloe Urbanowicz getting her season off to a flyer scoring a double hat-trick. Bex Cray also getting an opening game hat-trick. Zara Garrad striking twice with Katie Hay also scoring a goal in a 12-1 victory.

  Langford Ladies were also starting the season at home to another new face in the league with AFC Dunstable Ladies starting up a Reserves side. An encouraging start for the visitors as they picked up all 3 points with a win on the opening day, Maddison Ashford, Kerry Mulvihill-Reed and Bianca Vassell all pouncing for a goal each in a 3-0 win.

A new beginning for Shefford Town & Campton Ladies and with it they will be hoping for better fortunes as they become Biggleswade United Ladies. The new era starting with a win on the opening day away to Kempston Rovers Ladies new to the league. Leeanne Davison scoring both goals in a 2-0 victory for Biggleswade United.

   Another new side joining the league were also celebrating an opening day win on Sunday. Stotfold Juniors Ladies were at home taking on Bedwell Rangers Ladies, scoring twice it was enough to claim all 3 points in a 2-1 win. Rachel Jones scoring for Bedwell Rangers.