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REPORT | Dominant Blues Women blitz Milton Keynes
There was no ‘After the Lord Mayor’s Show’ syndrome at Goldington Road as Bedford Blues Women staked their early claim for the title with a convincing 27-5 victory over Milton Keynes Women.
Having to follow what was one of the best results in modern club history the day before – and on the same pitch too that the men’s squad thumped European heavyweights, Leicester Tigers – was never going to be an easy task, and certainly not one for the feint hearted.
But this team continually amaze and lived up to the hype that is surrounding Goldington Road at the moment to defeat the side who you expect will be fighting for the title come the end of the season.
If the St Neots performance was good, this was superb. Another test of character and another hurdle overcome. The side are finding ways now to turn nervous energy into positivity on the field and that’s the key difference at the moment. No more fear factor, particularly at Goldington Road, and the smiles on faces throughout the game show how good it is to be involved with this team at the moment.
Very much like last week, the key obstacle to overcome before even heading out onto the field was the fact that their opponents had done the double over them last season, and quite convincingly at that on Blues’ home soil when reflecting back. It was just never in doubt today.
We said the sky would be the limit if they got through this one, now its time to reach for the stars…
A bit more explanation is needed to truly reflect why this is another red-letter day for the team. They went into the game without enough backs to compile a full unit, so players were already out of position at the first whistle. Lose your influential full back after three minutes, and even more problems to contend with. Then your winger goes down in the second half.
But throughout all of it, sleeves were rolled up and players got on with the job. You had players that across the 80 minutes had to play four different positions. The key thing throughout it all: the cohesion and character never changed.
It takes something quite special to do that, and still get the result, against who you think are the toughest opponents in the league.
Highlighted by some of the men’s coaching team in the build up to proceedings, the return of Heidi Lawson was a welcome one and she scored twice from the unfamiliar position of outside centre, including a cracker to wrap the game up with a run from 70m. She wasn’t too far from a hat-trick either…
Elsewhere, Bex Young and Alivia Usher-Harris also dotted down while Lucy Middleton constantly ticked the scoreboard over with a couple of conversions and a real good penalty at a critical juncture of the game.
Title favourites by name, title favourites by nature. A job well done at Goldington Road.
Bedford Blues Women Starting XV:
15. Emma Graham, 14. Alyce Trude, 13. Heidi Lawson, 12. Emma Hunter, 11. Amy Winter, 10. Lucy Middleton (C), 9. Esme Fish (C); 1. Emily McBarron, 2. Alivia Usher-Harris, 3. Millie Rennell, 4. Cat Chambers, 5. Yas Morrison, 6. Elena Famiglietti, 7. Megan Solomon, 8. Bex Wright
Bedford Blues Women Replacements:
Hanah Donovan, Emry Bond, Heather Cousins, Angita Scapini
*Matchday photography by Dan Fennell and Roy Long*
