Bedford Ladies’ promotion hopes crushed
After two weeks of cancelled matches due to the recent snowy weather Bedford HC Ladies’ hopes of promotion from East Women’s Premier were crushed as they lost 4-1 to Holcombe in Kent at the weekend.
Having lost 2-1 to Holcombe at Chester Road earlier in the season, Bedford’s chances of gaining revenge suffered a big blow in midweek with injury forcing Katherine Winger to withdraw from the squad and work commitments ruling out goalkeeper Leanne Sargent.
With Bedford already without midfielders Sarah Walsh, Kelly Bingham and Becky Childs, the team brought Jenna Maclaren and Maya Thrasher into the set up with Verity Mason-Macleod, on her return to the first team, taking up an unfamiliar role between the sticks.
Bedford were yet to experience defeat in 2012 as they made a confident start. A great spell of pressure in the first five minutes saw chances fall to Connie Mason and Kate Costin as only some heavy-handed fouls from the Holcombe defence prevented the opening goal with a number of short corners conceded as a result.
Having failed to make the most of their impressive start, Bedford were hit with the sucker punch as Holcombe scored with a short corner deflected in at the far post in their first venture into the Bedford circle.
Bedford tried to fight back, working hard as a unit to press play, with Thrasher looking pacy down the right and Sherri Skene in the centre midfield involved in most of Bedford’s good play.
Eventually a deserved equalizer was scored when Yvette Van Yperen’s fine disguised pass was dispatched past the keeper by captain Kate Costin to bring the scores level.
Bedford looked threatening going forward, but as the half wore on Holcombe began to take advantage of some misplaced passes and inpatient tackles.
Natalia Norford found herself one-on-one with the keeper after a great pass from Fran Lee but the opportunity wasn’t taken.
Bedford weren’t getting the rub of the green in front of goal with Lee, Van Yperen and Mason all denied by the Holcombe keeper, while at the other end the Kent side took the lead as Bedford failed to clear their lines and the ball snuck into the corner past the hapless Mason-McLeod.
Bedford continued to create the majority of the chances but couldn’t capitalise and even a rare shot from full-back SJ Darrington, after a great run and one-two with Mason, couldn’t beat the solid Holcombe defence with Darrington’s cross-cum-shot whistling across the goal with Maclaren unable to reach the follow-up as Bedford trailed 2-1 at the interval.
The visitors tried to get back into the game in the second half, but Holcombe had the majority of possession.
With Bedford chasing shadows, defenders Nic Pether, Elli Priston and Darrington had to make a number of important tackles and interceptions.
Bedford continued to work hard, but when they did win the ball back the final pass was either lacking quality or the Holcombe goalkeeper came to their rescue as Costin, Skene and Van Yperen were all denied.
The game became a fiesty affair with Lee yellow-carded as she missed the last 10 minutes.
With Bedford pushing forward their defence was left exposed and, although Mason-McLeod made a number of impressive saves, she couldn’t reach two well placed shots as Holcombe triumphed.
Darrington and Mason-McLeod shared the Riverside Grill player of the match award.
This week Bedford host relegation-threatened Ipswich, push back at Chester Road is 1pm.
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Weather for Bedford
Tuesday 29 May 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 12 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: South west
