The Round-Up

Sunday 8th December

Hertfordshire Women’s Challenge Cup

One tie played this weekend in the Hertfordshire Women’s Challenge Cup quarter finals, ERWFL Premier Division side Colney Heath Ladies hosting Beds & Herts Women’s Division One side St Albans Ladies in the last 8 of the competition. Both sides in good form so far this season St Albans having had a run in the FA Women’s Cup earlier in the season. The lower league sides starting well top scorer Eleanor Lovelock firing St Albans into the lead inside 3 minutes. Sophie Hull adding a 2nd goal just past the quarter hour. A debatable penalty giving Colney heath a chance to pull a goal back their top scorer Samaira Khan finishing from the spot. St Albans continued to play well create chances had Colney Heath under pressure Lovelock scoring her 2nd of the match and 21st overall to put the visitors into a 3-1 lead. A big 2nd half needed from Colney Heath started well Charlene Moreton latching onto a poor goalkick to pull it back to 3-2 in the 47th minute. 10 minutes later and Colney Heath were level at 3-3 Moreton scoring again. The turn around complete midway through the 2nd half Moreton combining with Rianne Townsend-Brown to complete her hat-trick. St Albans not out of it by any means opportunities to score kept coming Amy Butler saving in goal for Colney Heath, Moreton turning in a cross to score her fourth of the match to make it 5-3 with 15 minutes left. Colney Heath through to the semi-finals of the competition.

4 goals for Colney Heath Ladies, Charlene Moreton

Beds & Herts Women’s Division One

Hemel Hempstead Town Ladies were threatening to runaway with it at the top of Beds & Herts Women’s Division One the defending champions 6 points clear at the top of the table winning all of their 8 matches played so far. That run coming to an end at the weekend as they suffered their first defeat of the season away to Northwood Ladies. Northwood’s own form in recent weeks improving came into the match on the back of 3 straight league wins. A 1-0 win for Hemel Hempstead in the reverse fixture back in September. This weekend the game another close affair. Ella Mercer and Charlene Turturici-Clarke scoring for Hemel Hempstead, a brace from top scorer Emma Steele giving her 10 for the season plus a first of the season for Joanne Horwood seeing Northwood edge it 3-2 move up to 4th in the Division One table.

Also moving a pace up the Division One table at the weekend are Garston Ladies 1st up to 5th joining Northwood on 14 points. Were away to bottom side Hitchin Belles on Sunday. Sian Fisher on target to score her 5th goal of the season, a goal from Cassandra Chase and a first of the season for Jade Roberts securing the points with a 3-0 victory.

Beds & Herts Women’s Division Three

Two matches played in Beds & Herts Women’s Division Two also this Sunday with big away wins for two of the top three to put all three level on 21 points. Herts Vipers back to the top of the pile on goal difference closing in on 70 scored so far this season as they extended their 100% winning start to 7 matches away to Bedwell Rangers Ladies. Kesley Millen named as the clubs new vice-captain starting the scoring with the first goal of the match in the 8th minute. Two quick fire goal from Rachel Wall and top scorer Nicole Jancey had Herts Vipers 3-0 up just 3 minutes later. The visitors with a purple patch in front of goal hammering home their advantage, Rebecca Scott adding a 4th goal in the 18th minute, Wall firing in a double a minute later to complete her hat-trick. Millen repeating the feat soon after 2 goals in the 22nd and 25th minutes to have a first half hat-trick of her own. 8 goals scored with barely half an hour played the game settled down some what. Bedwell working hard trying to play the right way Herts Vipers adding a 9th just before the break Tazmin Symonds Bishop scoring. The 2nd half seeing just the one goal added by Herts Vipers with 20 minutes left Millen netting her 4th of the game. The final score 10-1, Bedwell Rangers goal scored by Georgia Miller.

  A big away win for Biggleswade United Ladies too at the weekend in Division Three taking them up to 2nd in the table in between Herts Vipers and Harvesters Ladies. Were taking on Stotfold Juniors Ladies. Robyn Gibbons putting Biggleswade into the lead in the 17th minute. Kayleigh Saunders putting Biggleswade 2-0 up 10 minutes later. Zoe Molloy adding a 3rd goal as the visitors finished the first period strongly top scorer Leeanne Davison getting her 18th goal of the season with Tashai Simms scoring on the stroke of half-time to see Biggleswade 5-0 up. More goal coming 2nd half Saunders scoring her 2nd of the game and 14th overall 5 minutes after the restart. Molloy and Simms both adding another goal with Annabelle Gee scoring her first Biggleswade goal on the 80th minute to see the match won 9-0.

The Chris Renshaw Cup

This weekend also saw the beginning of The Chris Renshaw Cup, three tie played on Sunday in the 1st Round of the competition. Evergreen Ladies and Sherrardswood Ladies were meeting for the 3rd successive match. The previous two encounters full of drama and goals, a 7-4 extra-time win in the Hertfordshire Women’s Challenge Cup for Sherrardswood in November the points shared in a 3-3 draw in Division Two now meeting for a 3rd time in the 1st Round of The Chris Renshaw Cup. Plenty of goals in this one two although a very contrasting scoreline. Sherrardswood starting well Laura Cousins with the opening goal inside 10 minutes. Manjinder Atwal then rattling in an 11 minute hat-trick, Abby Cardell also on the scoresheet to see Sherrardswood 5-0 with just 22 minutes gone. Cousins scoring her 2nd of the game late in the first half to see the visitors 6-0 at half-time. Sherrardswood continuing in the same vain in the 2nd half Francesca Novelli scoring a brace to put them 8-0 before an hours play. Leane Pickett with her first of the season pulling one back for Evergreen as good as it would get Cousins going onto complete her hat-trick. The game entering the final 10 minutes Lola Steiner making just her 2nd appearance for Sherrardswood scored her first goal for the club the final score 11-1 with Atwal adding her 4th of the match in the final 5 minutes.

Harvester Ladies going into the weekend top of Beds & Herts Division Three were at home to Division One side Letchworth Garden City Eagles in the 1st Round of The Chris Renshaw Cup. A high scoring encounter that saw the pair share 9 goals. Natasha Reynolds, Kim Franklin and  Samantha Coughlan with their first goals of the season for Letchworth plus one for Katie Smith seeing them put for past their opponents, Harvesters though through to the next round of the competition scoring one more to win it 5-4.

A good result in the 1st Round of The Chris Renshaw Cup for Division Three side Hitchin Town Ladies Reserves as they beat Woburn & Wavendon Lionesses doing well this season in Division Two. Despite a good start to the game from Woburn & Wavendon, it was Hitchin who opened the scoring Ellen Beary making her first start for the club putting a looping shot into the top corner in the 9th minute. Chances followed for both sides Hitchin holding onto their 1-0 advantage at half-time. Top scorer April Spang latching onto a scuffed goalkick on the hour sending the ball home to put Hitchin 2-0 ahead. The lead made more secure in the final 20 minutes Spang with her 15th of the season putting Hitchin 3 goals up. A late penalty for Woburn & Wavendon saw Giselle Randall pull a goal back Hitchin though safely through to the next round winning 3-1. Also through to the next round of The Chris Renshaw Cup are AFC Kempston Town & Bedford College Ladies awarded the home win against Kempston Rovers Ladies.