Bedford Blues Women continued their fine start to the NC1 Midlands East season, scoring eight tries in a 52-0 away victory at Bletchley to remain second in the division on Sunday afternoon.
Both Claire Cranfield and Emma Graham scored first half hat-tricks as Eddie Rennell’s team ran in seven of their eight tries in the first forty minutes with the Blues running riot to keep up the pace on Peterborough at the top.
Bedford lost out narrowly 25-19 to Peterborough last weekend, but bounced back to winning ways in clinical fashion at Manor Fields in Bletchley.
It didn’t take long for the Blues to get on the board as Emma Graham ran in her first, with Lucy Middleton kicking off what was an almost flawless game from the tee with an opening conversion.
Claire Cranfield scored her first, intercepting a wayward pass and running in sixty metres to dot down before an almost carbon copy five minutes later opened up a 21-0 lead inside fifteen minutes.
Cranfield’s hat trick was secured inside 19 minutes, along with the Blues’ bonus point before Graham scored her second and with Middleton nailing all five of the conversions, Bedford had soared 35-0 ahead.
Emma Graham completed her own hat-trick, fed by the first hat-trick hero in Cranfield before Katharine Simpson ensured a new name was in the try scoring column with Bedford’s seventh on the stroke of half-time to give Bedford a well-earnt 47-0 advantage at the break.
Blues ease off but stay on Peterborough’s coattails
It could have been a long second half for the hosts, but Bedford could only muster one more try as Naomi Stockham bundled over for her first try in Blues colours.
That was the only other scoring action of an attritional second half as Bedford Blues came away with a 52-0 victory that leave them nine points behind Peterborough at the top, but they do have a game in hand over the league leaders.
The win improves an already solid start for the Blues after an opening day 36-21 win against Ipswich as well as a 30-17 victory at Stamford proving that their championship win at NC2 last campaign was no fluke.
The Women are back at Goldington Road in a fortnight as they host Welwyn Ladies, currently fourth in NC1 East, before closing out the calendar year at Wymondham Wasps.
The key game comes in the first encounter of 2025, when the Blues visit Peterborough who currently have a 100% record at the top.
