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REPORT | Blues Women win on the road
Bedford Blues Women continued their perfect start to the season with a gritty and determined showing to take a 18-12 away victory from Milton Keynes.
It was just what the doctor ordered to start 2024 as they never looked once like they were going to come away with anything other than a successful result, in spite of the fact of some frustrating decisions that made the game a little closer than it perhaps ought to have been.
We’ve used this line a lot this season, but they’d have lost that game last year. The change of transition and development isn’t just in skill level, it’s that dogged determination to fight against adversity, stay composed when its easy to get frustrated, and see the job through.
Every player on the field knew what their job was today, and they executed it perfectly. They will reflect and ponder missed opportunities, that’s only natural. But the main thing from a game like that, when it would be easy to drop heads, is to win.
End of season reports no matter how statistical you want to be only really come down to certain baseline facts. How many wins, where you finished in the table etc. They’ll be frustrated not to have a bonus point or a sizable difference on the scoreboard, but if they win every game this season, in ten years’ time no one will care about the minutiae detail of what today’s scoreline was. The thing is they won.
It felt appropriate that standout figurehead in the game, Alivia Usher-Harris got the try that secured the points. Not just as a reward for her performance, but redemption for a baffling decision not to award her a try in the first half.
Stonewall is an expression used more in football but that was one of two ‘stonewall’ tries ruled out, with Amy Winter needing to wait a little longer for her third of the season despite evident downward pressure.
The other tries that were awarded came from Yasmin Morrison, who returned to the side over the Summer from playing at a higher level, and a great moment for Sophie Singleton-Sells with her first score in Blues colours on one of her first starts.
This was about more than just the try scorers, though, and you could single out every player for their influence on the game. The scrum was as dominant as you’re likely to see with Milton Keynes on skates so kudos to the props – hat tips to Millie Rennell, Lauren Mason and Hanah Donovan.
Emma Graham’s like a one-woman tackle machine at the moment and there were three huge moments in the game where she showed her worth as the last line of defence stopping the counter offence.
And finally, from a naming perspective, a written round of applause to Gem Cook who, on just her second appearance, rose to the occasion despite coming onto the field a lot earlier than she would have perhaps anticipated. Some huge hits out wide and genuine pace when applying pressure after clearance kicks. You wouldn’t have known she was relatively new to the team.
A fourth victory on the road ensures they have already clocked up more away successes in this season alone, than they had done in the entire time since their inception (3). And there’s a minimum of two more trips to make, dependant on any further cup draws.
It also continued the theme of this season being somewhat of a redemption tour. Milton Keynes hasn’t been the happiest of hunting grounds for the side, but it was third time lucky this afternoon and another tick on the list.
You really hope they can get the chance to play Hornets in the RFU Women’s Junior Cup – the side who beat Bedford in the past two Weston Summer Beach Tournaments. Let’s see what they’re like in a 15v15 setting.
Talking of the cup, confirmation of that will come tomorrow. Spoiler Alert: It’s a HOME draw!
Bedford Blues Women Starting XV:
15. Emma Graham, 14. Sophie Singleton-Sells, 13. Naomi Stockham, 12. Emma Hunter, 11. Amy Winter, 10. Lucy Middleton (C), 9. Esme Fish; 1. Hanah Donovan, 2. Alivia Usher-Harris, 3. Millie Rennell, 4. Cat Chambers, 5. Kelly Hodgson, 6. Elena Famiglietti, 7. Yasmin Morrison, 8. Bex Wright
Bedford Blues Replacements:
Lauren Mason, Megan Solomon, Gem Cook
*Matchday Photography by Roy Long*
