The Round-Up
Beds & Herts Women’s Football League – Sunday 2nd October
Held off from doing The Round-Up for the Beds & Herts Women’s Football League early on as it has been a patchy start to the season fixture wise across the 3 divisions, finally as we begin October the fixture lists begin to fill out as more sides get their season kicked off at last.
Beds & Herts Women’s Division One
In Beds & Herts Women’s Division, Sharnbrook WFC have been setting the early pace promoted as Division Two Champions had started the season with 2 wins before being held to a draw by fellow promoted side Houghton Athletic Ladies last weekend. That allowed 2nd placed Sandy Ladies to close the gap to a point going into this Sunday’s 2nd versus 1st encounter. 2 wins from 2 for Sandy Ladies so far scoring 5 in both games. Amber Williams scored a brace plus a goal each for Harriet Ford and Chloe Reeves as Sandy Ladies go above Sharnbrook WFC to lead the table with a 4-2 win, Tracy Hutchinson 1st half and Gemma Franklin 2nd half with the goals for Sharnbrook.
Bishops Stortford Ladies and Hitchin Town Ladies the latter newly promoted to Division One this season finally got their league campaign started at the weekend. Both had faced each other just 7 days before in the 1st Round of the Hertfordshire Women’s County Cup, Hitchin Town Ladies the home side exiting the competition as Bishops Stortford beat them 5-1. Now meeting in the league Bishops Stortford Ladies were at home at Harvest Moon, a closer game edged the win by 2 goals to 1 Kathryn Stanley (pictured) and Samantha Tant with the goals. Kayleigh Saunders with Hitchin Town Ladies 1 goal in Division One.
Garston Ladies lost out to Sharnbrook WFC at home on the opening day of the season back on 11th September had to wait a bit to play their next competitive fixture an away fixture against Letchworth Garden City Ladies, a single goal settling it for Garston picking up their 1st 3 points of the season courtesy of a goal scored by Emma Trill.
Houghton Athletic Ladies have started the season well promoted as runners-up in Division Two last season have 4 points from their opening 2 league matches. Were away to Sherrardswood Ladies at the weekend who they had knocked out of the FA Women’s Cup in 2nd Round Qualifying. Sherrardswood had started the season with an opening day defeat to Sandy Ladies, goals from Laura Cousins in the 1st half followed by 2 more from Laure Marris and Katy Jones saw them get their 1st 3 points of the season winning 3-1. Ciara Craig with the goal for Houghton Athletic Ladies.
Beds & Herts Women’s Division Two
Three league matches in Beds & Herts Women’s Division Two on Sunday with leaders Garston Ladies FC 96 making it 3 wins from 3 to continue their perfect start to the season. At home they were leading bottom side Woburn & Wavendon Lionesses Clarets 2-0 at the break before going on to win the game 4-1. 4 different goalscorers, Hannah Burt, Leah Crocket, Leanne Hunt and Jade Roberts helping them to the 3 points. Charlotte Demman on target for Woburn & Wavendon.
2nd placed Flitwick Ladies have started life in Division Two well following relegation last season. Recovering well from an opening day loss at home to Garston, to win their next 2 league matches were at home this Sunday hosting Evergreen Ladies who finally had a league game the Division Three runners-up playing their 1st game in Division Two. Rebecca Freeman scoring 2 goals for the visitors as they won a point in the game, Flitwick scoring twice too to see the game end 2-2, Faye Moxon and Laura Scott from the penalty spot with the goals.
Panshanger Ladies were also promoted from Division Three to play in Division Two this season, had started the season with 2 away defeats were at home for the 1st time this season at the Moneyhole Playing Fields playing Watton Ladies at the weekend. Started well Ellie Burke putting them in front inside 10 minutes, Chemise Huitson adding a 2nd goal on 22 minutes that the lead at half-time. Huitson added another goal early in the 2nd half to make it 3-0. Watton pulled a goal back but this didn’t dent Panshanger’s confidence going on to score a 4th goal, Patience Ndlovu with her 1st for the club. Huitson went on to score her hat-trick. Watton pulling a goal back late on the final score 5-2 sees Panshanger up to 5th in the table.
Beds & Herts Women’s Division Three
Still sides yet to get off the mark in Beds & Herts Division Three, two that did at the weekend with mixed fortunes. Hertford Town Ladies have a new Reserves side this season the 1st team promoted to the Eastern Region Women’s Football League the Reserve side has had to wait to get going. A fixture at last away to Shefford Town & Campton Ladies who had started the season with a 2-2 against Hatfield Town Ladies remain unbeaten both sides collecting a point in what is a rarity in women’s football a 0-0 draw.
A totally different story in the final match to being you in the Beds & Herts Round-Up, 12 goals in this game with Crawley Green Ladies playing their 1st league game of the season hosting Evergreen Eagles. A tough season for the visitors last season relegated from Division Two started with a win in Division Three 6-3 at home to new side Wheathamsted Ladies. Held a 5-2 lead against Crawley Green at half time but the hosts came back into it scoring 3 more goals to get 5 themselves not enough to take anything from the match however as Evergreen Eagles added 2 more goals 2nd half to win it 7-5. Christie Brewer with a hat-trick plus a brace for Samantha Talks with a goal each for Rebecca Corcoran and Amber Charlton the scorers for Evergreen Eagles. Jessica McNamara scoring a hat-trick for Crawley Green Ladies with Nina Service and Yasmin Wacey also on target.