The Round-Up
Sunday 24th February
Beds & Herts Women’s Division One
A packed Sunday of league fixtures across all three divisions in the Beds and Herts Women’s Football League. The league changing in Beds & Herts Women’s Division One as the top two drew against each other. Welwyn Pegasus Sapphires benefiting as they won the 3 points at home at the weekend to return to the top of the table. Were taking on Garston Ladies 2nd XI. Janiece Allen having previously scored plenty of goals for Welwyn Pegasus’ sister club the Azures scoring 4 against Garston on Sunday. Takes her to 17 for 11 appearances this season. Chemise Huitson also finding the back of the net for her 9th goal of the season as Welwyn Pegasus won the game 5-2 . Maddie Gordon and Charley Kelsey with the goals for Garston who slip to the foot of the Division One table, have played just 6 league games to date.
Northwood Ladies went into the weekend narrowly leading Beds & Herts Division One were away to 2nd placed Hemel Hempstead Town Ladies this Sunday. Northwood looking for a positive result after suffering defeat last weekend with a depleted squad, dug deep against Hemel Hempstead to ear a point Holly Gilder scoring twice. Bianca Hedgecock and Charlene Turturici-Clarke with the goals for Hemel Hempstead who still have games in hand on all the other title challengers in Division One.
Incredibly tight still in the league with just 3 points between the leaders and 5th placed Houghton Athletic Ladies. St Albans Ladies the defending champions sandwiching themselves into 3rd now between Northwood and Hemel Hempstead all on 20 points as they secured the 3 points away to Sharnbrook WFC on Sunday. Eleanor Lovelock with a goal midway through the 1st half putting St Albans into the lead doubled the advantage just past the hour the win secured in the final 5 minutes with Sophie Hull on target to make it 3-0. Lovelock completing her hat-trick in the 89th minute, her 12th of the season sealing a 4-0 win.
A tough season all round so far for the Garston sides in Division One, Garston Ladies 1st team at home to fellow strugglers Sherrardswood Ladies this Sunday both sides earning a point, enough to move Garston’s 1st team off the bottom. Emma Trill scoring twice for Garston with Jane Hales also on target for a goal. A point for Sherrardswood Rhiana Rose scoring twice for the visitors one a penalty, with Francesca Novelli finding the back of the net in the 88th minute.
Beds & Herts Women’s Division Two
Hitchin Belles have a two week break now form the league, they go into it in good form with a 6 point lead at the top of the Division Two table. Just the one league defeat to date chalked up an 11th win of the season this Sunday at home to Evergreen Ladies. Leading 1-0 at the half-time interval Hitchin Belles going on to score twice more in the 2nd half to win 3-0. Keira How scoring her 11th of the campaign. Top scorer Katie White firing in her 18th of the season and a 3rd of the season for Bonnita Woodward the goalscorers for Hitchin Belles.
Local rivals Hitchin Town Ladies in 2nd position in Division Two have two games in hand on Hitchin Belles. This weekend saw their local rivals extend their lead at the top as they had to settle for a point away to 3rd placed Royston Town Ladies Development on Sunday. The visitors taking the lead in a battling encounter on 27 minutes captain Emma Chaffey there to nod home after Rebecca Day’s shot struck the crossbar. Royston pushing for a reply 2nd half equalising through Sammy Tinsley in the 67th minute. Hitchin working hard in defence to prevent the hosts getting another, 11 the final score.
The bottom two met in the league on Sunday with Evergreen Eagles and Welwyn Pegasus Azures having 4 points each going into the game. Christie Brewer winning the game for Evergreen as she scored a hat-trick for the hosts in a 3-2 win, Samantha Coughlan with her first of the season with a goal in the first half for Welwyn, Fiona Davies striking late in injury time with the 2nd goal.
Bedford Ladies Development also winning at home at the weekend were hosting Watton Ladies. A good result winning 4-0 seeing them win for just the 2nd time in Division Two.
Beds & Herts Women’s Division Three
4 games played too in beds & Herts Women’s Division Three this Sunday. A 9th straight league win for AFC Dunstable Ladies Development this Sunday as they travelled to play Kempston Rovers Ladies. Lauren Brooker scoring in the 6th minute and a goal from Holly Wilks saw Dunstable into a 2-0 half-time lead. The rest of the goals were saved for the final 6 minutes of the match with Nicola Hollick scoring to put the visiting side 3-0 up in the 84th minute. Kempston Rovers struck back immediately with Chelsea Jeffery breaching Dunstable’s defence for a goal. Dunstable responding by going straight up the other end to restore their 3 goal cushion Wilks with her 2nd of the game the final score 5-1 with top scorer Bianca Vassell adding another goal to her tally in the final minute.
Woburn & Wavendon Lionesses continue to keep the pressure on their Bedfordshire rivals at the top of Division Three a point behind in 2nd they won big at home on Sunday against Buntingford Town Ladies who were only playing for the 2nd time in 2019 their last game back on the 6th January. Woburn & Wavendon winning with a double figure scoreline. Top scorer Giselle Randall finding the back of the net for 4 goals moves to 18 for the season. Georgia Payne getting a hat-trick too in the match, with Laura Sephton on target for a brace with Molly Churchill also amongst the goalscorers with her 1st of the season. Woburn & Wavendon winning 10-1.
AFC Kempston Town & Bedford College Ladies lay in 3rd position in Division Three and will be hoping either of the top two slip up if they wish to close the 5 point gap to the top. Were away this Sunday taking on Biggleswade United Ladies. Chloe Urbanowicz on target scoring her 17th of the season for Kempston, there were goals to for Bex Cray and Zara Garrad who move onto 14 and 11 respectfully and a goal for Taylor Kingston in a 4-1 victory to take the visitors to 23 points from 10 played. Karen Clark with the Biggleswade goal.
A 3-3 draw between Bedwell Rangers Ladies and Stotfold Juniors Ladies in The Chris Renshaw Cup last weekend. Bedwell missing out on penalties in the finish the two sides meet again this Sunday at Bedwell in the league, the hosts again scoring 3 with Rachel Young scoring along with two for Isabella Townsend her 1st goals of the season. It wasn’t enough unfortunately for Bedwell to get anything from the game as Stotfold secured the win scoring 4 against them.