The Round-Up
Sunday 13th October
Beds & Herts Women’s League Cup
A cup weekend in the Beds & Herts Women’s Football League with the League Cup getting underway with 15 1st Round ties drawn. 14 scheduled to be played this Sunday with last season’s finalists St Albans Ladies involved in the Women’s FA Cup thier home game against Division Three side Stotfold Juniors Ladies delayed until this coming weekend. Three more sides progressing without kicking a ball. Current holders Hemel Hempstead Town Ladies, Division Two side Evergreen Ladies and Kempston Rovers Ladies from Division Three.
That left 11 ties to be played and plenty of action to bring you from the weekend. A good result for Garston Ladies 1st team at home to fellow Division One side Northwood Ladies in the 1st Round of the League Cup. Chloe Farrell on target to score her first goals for Garston netting a brace. Two goals too for Ruby Jager along with on for Sian Fisken securing the hosts a 5-2 victory. Leanne Jones and Samantha May with the goals for Northwood.
A tough game on paper for Division One side Royston Town Women Development, were at home to Division Two side AFC Kempston Town & Bedford College Ladies who had made a good start in Division Two. Proved to be a close match with the game won by just a single goal. Hannah Tofts with the crucial goal her first of the season to secure the win for Royston Town winning 1-0.
A comfortable away win for Hitchin Town Ladies seeing them safely through to the next round of the League Cup the Division One side taking on Division Two opponents Watton Ladies. Hitchin on target scoring 6 goals without really to advance.
Another all Division One clash saw Hartham United Ladies away to Letchworth Garden City Eagles in the 1st Round of the League Cup. Hartham opening the scoring with Danielle Aken putting the ball over the top for Georgia Quinton to slot home. Letchworth coming back to level a fantastic header from a corner kick. Chemise Huitson getting her Hartham goal account up and running to see the visitors leading 2-1 at half-time with her 1st of the season. Huitson going on to score two more goals in the 2nd period to complete a hat-trick despite heroics from the Letchworth defence. Janiece Allen a threat for Hartham all game sending a shot low into the bottom corner to get a goal and see the game won 5-1.
At last a first taste of victory this season for Hitchin Belles. A tough start following promotion to Division One this season losing their opening 4 league matches. The cup this weekend were away to Woburn & Wavendon Lionesses newly promoted to Division Two. The bare 11 for Hitchin Belles they were pushed all the way battling with their opponents eventually coming out on top in a penalty shootout. Drawing 1-1 at half-time Millie Fraser with her first goal for Hitchin Belles late in the 1st half. The 2nd period also drawn Emily Field scoring for Hitchin Belles with 10 minutes left the game finishing 2-2. Neither side able to find a winning goal in extra-time the tie heading to penalties. Hitchin Belles coming out on top winning the shootout 4-2 to advance.
Promised to be an intriguing match up in the 1st Round of the League Cup between Herts Vipers leading Beds & Herts Women’s Division Three with a 100% start at home to Langford Ladies top of Division Two also making a 100% winning start. Something having to give in the cup. Selin Buyukgiray scoring inside 3 minutes to put Herts Vipers into the lead. That the narrow advantage for Herts Vipers going all the way to the final 15 minutes of the tie, top scorer Nicole Jancey scoring to double the lead. Amber Clark pulling a goal back for Langford, Herts Vipers with a great result to advance in the competition.
Bedford Ladies Development with a comfortable result safely through to the next round of the League Cup easing past Division Three side Buntingford Town Ladies at the weekend. The Division Two hosts seeing 3 players open their goals account for the season. Remi Bains on target to score a hat-trick. A brace for Joanne Main along with a goal for Dahlia Davis-Fhalora. Alicja Olszanska also scoring her 5th of the season in a 7-0 victory.
Garston Ladies Vintage Purples with the biggest win of the weekend scoring double figures away to Division Three side Whetstone Wanderers Ladies in the 1st Round of the League Cup. The Division Two side making a strong start to the game early chances before Yasmin Sabri fired them into the lead. Spanish player Ainhoa Beascoechea scoring her first goals for the club a quick fire double to put them 3-0 up. Amy Pearson on target for her first goal of the season making it 4-0. Beascoechea going on to complete a hat-trick. Erin Jones turn to score her first of the season. 6-0 up Garston dominant. Captain Jane Hales striking in a 25 yard shot to make it 7-0. Sabri adding 2 more goals to bring up her hat-trick making it 6 goals now for the season. Hales finding the bottom corner to bring up double figures. Pearson and Jones both adding another goal each along with a brace bring her personal tally to 5 for Beascoechea in a 14-0 win.
After seeing their previous two league games abandoned through injury AFC Dunstable Blues having made a great start to the season with a 100% record following promotion to Beds & Herts Women’s Division Two were at home up against Harvesters Ladies in the League Cup 1st Round. Harvesters new to the league this season making a strong start joint leaders with Herts vipers in Division Three with a 100% record themselves. Top scorer Bianca Vassell putting Dunstable into the lead inside the opening 15 minutes scoring her 12th goal of the season. Holly Wilks doubling the hosts lead midway through the first half. Kerry Mulvihill-Reed having had an assist in both goals scoring herself to make it 3-0 to Dunstable on 35 minutes. Nicola Hollick making it 4-0 late in the first half with her 5th goal of the season. 4-0 up at half-time Dunstable adding on more goal in the 2nd period with Hollick getting her 2nd of the game with 20 minutes left.
Sherrardswood Ladies from Division Two playing Hitchin Town Ladies Reserves at the weekend in the league cup. Their Division Three opponents proving hard to break down Sherrardswood eventually getting the break through with 12 minutes left on the clock Laura Cousins scoring her first goal of the season to secure victory and put Sherrardswood through to the next round of the League Cup.
Lastly in the League Cup 1st Round there was an all Division Three tie with Bedwell Rangers Ladies hosting Biggleswade United Ladies. Both in good league form at the start of the season was a close scoreline with goals from Grace Leslie and Angelica Fachechi both celebrating their first goals for the club enough to see Biggleswade advance going through 2-1. Maisie Main with the goal for Bedwell Rangers her 3rd of the season.
The draw for the 2nd Round of the League Cup already made the ties as follows date to be announced: –
Garston Ladies Vintage Purples v Herts Vipers Women
Flitwick Eagles Ladies v Hitchin Town Ladies
St Albans Ladies or Stotfold Juniors Ladies v Sherrardswood Ladies
AFC Dunstable Women Blues v Kempston Rovers Ladies
Hitchin Belles v Hemel Hempstead Town Ladies
Evergreen Ladies v Hartham United Ladies
Royston Town Women Development v Biggleswade United Ladies
Bedford Ladies Development v Garston Ladies 1st team
Beds & Herts Women’s Division Three
One league match also taking place this weekend, in Division Three. Flitwick Eagles Ladies receiving a bye in the League Cup at home to Stotfold Juniors Ladies. The pair meeting in the league a fortnight ago it was a comfortable 10-2 win for Stotfold to see them collect their 1st win of the campaign. A much closer game this time around. Stotfold holding a narrow 1-0 lead at half-time going on to win the game 3-1 in the 2nd half. Chloe Ward striking in the first half for the visitors would add her 2nd and fifth of the season overall on the hour a goal for Gemma Robertson in between for Stotfold. Brittany Holdsworth from the penalty spot scoring the goal for Flitwick.