The first goal for Bedford came just 17 seconds into the match, Oscar Jewers catching the opposition off guard. End-to-end competitive play followed, but with no further goals coming in the first half.
It was Winchester who found the back of the net in the second half, 10 minutes into the play, bringing the scores level for all of 2 minutes, before Jack Bellamy demonstrated his 3D skills to give Bedford the lead again. It was Jack who stretched the lead still further, his second goal coming 10 minutes later.
The team now head to the finals of this national competition, which will be played out at Lee Valley, when they face Deeside Ramblers.
There were further impressive wins across the adult teams.
Four goals from Simba Chigwada helped Bedford Hockey Club’s Men’s First XI ease to a 10-0 triumph over bottom of the table Letchworth, taking the total number of goals scored by the team, so far this season, to 79.
Top of the table, City of Peterborough, are already guaranteed the promotion up from the Premier to the National League, the point difference between them, second place Saffron Walden and third place Bedford, beyond reach, with just two fixtures remaining until the close of the season.
The Bedford squad have an away game in Bishop’s Stortford this coming Saturday, finishing their league run, on the 29th of March, playing the league champions at Bedford’s Chester Road ground. Anyone looking to see the fantastic display of hockey, that can be guaranteed in that game, should head along for the 15.30 pushback.
The goals flowed freely for the Men’s Second Team, too, a Finn Leaver hat-trick helping the squad to a 7-0 victory over Welwyn Garden City. With top of the table Luton Town only securing a 5-0 win in their match, Bedford nudge two goals nearer to closing the gap in goal difference between the teams.
Bedford head away to Broxbourne on Saturday, before returning to home turf for their final match of the season on the 29th, against St Albans Fourth Team, with a midday start.
It was St Albans’ Fours that Bedford’s Men’s Third XI faced in their match, coming away with a 2-0 win, and holding fifth spot in the same division as their Second Team clubmates. They have a home fixture, hosting St Albans’ Third XI this Saturday.
Bedford’s Men’s Fourth Team just missed out, having travelled away to Potters Bar, the scoreline finishing 3-2 to the opposition. Top of the table Royston travel for their game with Bedford this Saturday.
A struggling Men’s Fifth XI failed to break the defence of Welwyn Garden City, whilst Welwyn managed to find their way through Bedford’s with their attacks, 2-0 the result. Eleventh place Bedford travel to second place Bishop’s Stortford this weekend.
The Men’s Sixth Team remain five points clear at the top of the table, after going 2-0 down in the first half of their match, away to Saffron Walden, before pulling back the draw, with the two equalisers coming in the closing minutes of the match. They’ll be looking for the home advantage when St Albans visit this Saturday.
It was a 2-2 draw for the Men’s Seventh Team, too. Bedford opened the scoring with a goal by Joe Allen, just 2 minutes into the game, only for Saffron Walden to pull the scores level as the first half whistle approached. Walden then went on to take the lead, on the 54th minute, but Joe stepped up once more and forced the draw, with only 3 minutes remaining on the clock.
Bedford, in third, travel to twelfth place St Albans this Saturday, before concluding their successful league run on the 29th of March with a home fixture, taking on bottom of the table, Southgate Adelaide.
A single goal, late in the game, from Bedford’s Ellie Scott, wasn’t sufficient for the Ladies’ First XI to make an impact, after Cambridge University opened the scoring just 5 minutes into the match, followed by a second 6 minutes later. Had Bedford been able to build on Ellie’s 51st minute goal, a draw would have been welcomed, the final goal of the match, however, went to Cambridge, with just 4 minutes to go to the final whistle, 3-1 to Cambridge.
The squad head away to third place Stourport this weekend, before returning to the support of a home crowd for their final match, of what has been a hugely challenging season, when St Albans travel to Bedford.
It wasn’t until the second half of the Ladies’ Two’s match, against Old Loughtonians, that there was any score, Bedford’s Ana Hickling finding the back of the net in the 52nd minute. Sadly, the lead was short lived, Old Loughts pulling the scores level 3 minutes later. The draw holds Bedford in third spot.
The squad have a home fixture this coming Saturday, when fourth place Blueharts visit. All that divides the two teams is the goal difference, Bedford having bagged 7 more than Blueharts so far this season, so a competitive match is a certainty, push back 13.00.
The Ladies’ Third XI took a 3-1 win over Berkhamsted & Hemmel, all the goals coming in the second half of the game, with Berko getting their consolation goal from a Penalty Corner just as the final whistle blew. Bedford head away to Blueharts this Sunday but are already guaranteed a solid mid-table finish.
It was an uncharacteristic 3-2 loss for the Ladies’ Fourth Team, away to Bishop’s Stortford, Stortford having opened the scoring in the final minute of the first half. A goal from open play by Cheryl Harding early in the second brought the scores level, only for Stortford to move ahead again a few minutes later. A Penalty Stroke to Bedford, once more levelled the scores, but Stortford snatched the win 7 minutes later.
Despite the loss, the team still sit at the top of the table, two points ahead of second place Luton Town, although Bedford also have a game in hand. This coming Saturday, they will host Blueharts at Chester Road.
The Ladies’ Fifth Team didn’t quite match the Under 18 Boy’s 17-second first goal, but they weren’t far off, only having to wait until the 43rd second for Abi Holt to get their opener against Berkhamsted & Hemmel. Eight minutes later, it was the turn of Bea Burak to get on the scoresheet. Whilst Berco interspersed Bedford’s goals with 3 of their own, the double act of Abi and Bea kept the pressure on, Abi scoring her second before the close of the first half and Bea dominating the second half with two further goals of her own, bringing her a hat-trick and Bedford the 5-3 win. It’s an away fixture for the team next weekend in St Albans.
The Ladies’ Sixes were away to Bishop’s Stortford, where it was Stortford who opened the scoring, before Bedford took the lead with three goals in quick succession, finishing the first half 3-1 up. It was, most definitely, a game of two halves, as Bishop’s Stortford pulled the scores level and then went on to steal the victory with a converted Penalty Corner right on the final whistle. Bedford have a home fixture this Saturday against St Albans.
The Ladies’ Sevens had a fantastic game against Welwyn Garden City, maintaining a constant barrage of goals, starting with the first on the 4-minute mark, and finishing with the sixth in the closing stage of the second half, 6-0 to Bedford. They head away to Bishop’s Stortford next weekend.
Another highlight from the weekend was the first Walking Hockey Tournament to be hosted by the club. The tournament had teams travel from Letchworth, Welwyn Garden City and Chiltern, with Bedford fielding two teams of its own, and saw 2-hours of back-to-back competitive matches.
Since being one of the first clubs in the country to start Walking Hockey, 6 years ago, it is fantastic to see the growth of this highly inclusive format of the game, to such an extent that there are now sufficient local teams to have made this tournament feasible.
