Real Bedford Women returned to league action on Wednesday as they were forced to settle for a 0-0 draw against Cambridge United on another wet Bedford night at the Ledger Stadium.
With Sunday’s game against AFC Sudbury falling victim to the weather last weekend and League Cup action also taking to the fore, this was Real’s first game in two and a half weeks as they failed to score in a game for the first time this season.
Charlie Bill’s side are still unbeaten though, in what has been a good start to the season in step four.
On a tricky night for good football, both sides struggled in the conditions but it was the defences who came out on top in an attritional affair that left both sides goalless come the end of ninety minutes.
Darcey Guy was particularly strong in the Real goal; acrobatically keeping out efforts from Alysha Stojko-Down and Rosy Wodhams in the first period, while a Cambridge effort was also ruled out for offside.
Lauren Webb was equally as proficient in the visitors’ goal as she kept out strikes from Abbie Bensted and Tricia Gould, with both teams taking away a point and ending the night in fourth and fifth respectively in Women’s National League South East Division One.
“It was frustrating”, said Real Bedford Women’s manager Charlie Bill after the game.
“It was probably one of the toughest games we’ve had with rain from minute one and we’ve have a two and a half week break from playing football.
“We lacked rhythm, we didn’t do the basics right. I think Cambridge applied their game plan and were superb and at times probably done enough to win but ‘Darce’ [Darcey Guy] has made two or three crucial saves.
“I thought we were better in the second half but we were a little bit off of it today”
Real Bedford return to League Cup action in the first round of the Women’s National League Cup as they travel to south Wales and to the Newport Stadium, where step three side, Gwalia United await in what will be a good test of where Bill’s side are.
These two sides meet again in the third qualifying round of the Women’s FA Cup on 13th October, with Cambridge getting home advantage.
