Bedford Hockey Club Ladies 5s secure promotion with two games to go

It was win-win for Bedford Hockey Club’s first elevens. The Ladies’ 1s took a decisive 8-2 victory against Broxbourne, moving Bedford 11 points clear of 3rd place St Albans. The Men’s 1s, meanwhile, grabbed a great 3-0 win over Loughborough. The ladies are away to Loughborough Students at the weekend and the men travel away to bottom table Khalsa Leamington.

The Ladies’ 2s had no fixture but remain 3rd in the table with a game in hand. They have the challenge of taking on top placed Letchworth on Saturday.

The Men’s 2s did see action, but failed to break Chelmsford, ending 3-5 down, they head away to Waltham Forest at the weekend.

Blueharts prevented the Men’s 3s from gaining points, with the opposition holding Bedford at 3-4. The men have home advantage coming up, when they take on Royston, looking to overtake St Albans, who Bedford sit alongside on points.

There was success for the Ladies’ 3s, who’s winning streak continues, after a 3-2 win away to Saffron Walden. They are now sitting second in the table, just 3 points behind Stevenage, but with the Bedford squad having a game in hand. They take on third place Hertford this Saturday at Bedford’s Chester Road ground.

It was a Blueharts opposition that the Men’s 4s hosted on Saturday, although their hospitality excluded allowing Blueharts any goals, whilst the Bedford team netted themselves 4.

After a dominant start to the season, the Ladies’ 4s have lost their impetus over the past few weeks. They will hope to turn their fortune around after their 5-0 loss to top of the table St Albans. Despite their recent struggling form, Bedford remain high table, level on points, but just below second placed Blueharts on goal difference. It is their Blueharts rivals that the 4s get to battle it out with this coming weekend.

There has been no waning of dominance for the Ladies’ 5s. A 7-0 win against Bishop’s Stortford now makes the Bedford team unreachable, and guaranteed promotion, with 2 games still to go before the end of the season. The team have racked up an incredible 82 goals thus far.

It was a 4-0 loss for the Men’s 5s against Stevenage. There will be relief for them next season when they, almost certainly, move to the more appropriate Division 5, after this season’s rearranged league structure by England Hockey placed them in the higher Division 4.

Despite the weekend’s 4-8 loss by the Men’s Vets against Bishop’s Stortford, they will be looking to end the season in a creditable mid-table position, with just local rivals Shefford & Sandy to take on this weekend and Southgate a week later in the final match of the season.

A 2-all draw for the Ladies’ 6s against 4th placed Letchworth was a great result for the squad, who have fought hard this season in the same Division as the Ladies’ 5s. They still have 3 games to play but will definitely look to take further points at the weekend against bottom of the table Saffron Walden, who have failed to achieve a win so far this season.

The Men’s 6s have also fought hard, and been rewarded with a mid-table position, aided by their 2-0 victory at the weekend over Harpenden. This weekend sees them take on Shefford & Sandy.

There was no fixture for the Men’s 7s, but they will get to have a run around this weekend when they head away to Hertford.

The Ladies’ 7s still have 3 fixtures to play and, despite having some challenging oppositions, including St Albans this Saturday, will have been boosted by their 3-1 victory over Berkhamsted & Hemel 4s.