Real Bedford Women scored four first half goals and added a fifth in the second to thrash Queens Park Rangers 5-0 and jump to the top of Women’s National League Division One South East on Sunday (2 March).
Charlie Bill’s side are still unbeaten after 16 league games at step four of the Women’s non-league sphere and are one point ahead of Norwich City, but have the added bonus of two games in hand for the championship run in.
It didn’t take long for the home side to seize the initiative at the Ledger Stadium as Real Bedford came flying out of the traps with three goals in the first half an hour.
Nicola Puddick opened the scoring after just four minutes, making her way into the penalty area with ease and smashing home before a moment of magic from Amber Gaylor doubled the Pirates’ advantage.
It was a goal reminiscent of Real’s Ben Stevens a couple of weeks ago; the men’s counterpart scored from the edge of the centre circle against Biggleswade FC, and Gaylor was on hand to prove the trick could be repeated with a stunning strike of her own.
Chrissie Wiggins’ clearance found Gaylor on the edge of the centre circle, and while her first touch took her into the left channel, it didn’t stop her lifting the ball over the stranded QPR keeper and into the back of the net.
A couple more chances fell for Abbie Bensted before Real added a third with Leyla O’Brien, in similar vein to Puddick, finding the back of the net after marauding down the left wing.
Real’s fourth came via a set piece as Gemma Biggadike’s free kick found Jess Evans who headed it back across goal to find Sofia Stovold who prodded home.
Bensted, who was perhaps the unluckiest of the group on Sunday, thought she had added a fifth before half-time but the goal was ruled out for a foul in the build up.
The visitors’ first half went from bad to worse when they were given a golden opportunity to reduce the growing deficit, but Chloe Sansom saved Grace Stanley’s penalty for QPR to keep the score at 4-0 at the interval.
The second half was quieter for a beleaguered Rangers side, although Breon Grant scored her first goal for Real after latching on to a through ball by Gaylor to make it five on the hour mark.
QPR hit the crossbar from a free kick courtesy of Courtnay Ward-Chambers but it was as close as the away side would get as they languish in eighth place in the league.
For Real, the possibility of back-to-back league titles looms large; five of their last six league games are against teams in the bottom half of the table, with the sixth against Actonians – who are in fifth – this coming Sunday.
With two draws against closest rivals, Norwich City already in the bag as well as a pair of draws against third-placed, Chatham, Real are doing enough to stay just ahead at the summit of Women’s National League Division One South East.
The team also have a chance at another league and cup double as they are strong favourites for the Bedfordshire FA Senior Women’s Cup, facing Luton Town in the final after seeing off Biggleswade United 8-0 in the semi finals.
Real Bedford return to the Ledger Stadium on Sunday (9 March) to face Actonians. You can buy tickets for the clash here.
