This Sunday saw the u16s girls hockey team record their biggest ever win with a 9-1 thrashing of City of Peterborough include a hatrick each for Becca Leeson, Becca Downing-Holmes and Claudia Johnson.

Bedford fielded a team including a number of academy debutants including goalkeeper Alice Worker, Lottie Beechener, Hannah Phillips and Claudia Johnson. A number of regular players were unavailable leaving Bedford with a bare eleven but straight from the first whistle Bedford looked to control the game with Pippa Jones immediately asserting her control over the midfield and Phillips striking up a good understanding with Martha Haslam in the defence. In the opening exchanges Bedford had most of the play but were at times a little wasteful in possession so it took until the 20th minute to break the deadlock when a long ball into the circle gave Leeson the chance to tuck the ball home from close range before Johnson doubled the lead. City of Peterborough threatened on the break and a classy run from their centre back the full length of the pitch saw the ball pulled back and converted emphatically past Worker leaving the score 2-1 at the break.

In the second half, Bedford stepped up their game further and COP had no response to some great passing moves and deadly finishing. Player of the Match Rebecca Downing-Holmes was next on the scoresheet with a quick fire hatrick including two neat reverse stick finishes. The build up play was impressive from the Bedford youngsters with Lottie Beechener and Jess Badgery on the Bedford left both putting in excellent performances. As the half wore on the goals kept coming with Jones, Johnson and Downing-Holmes all linking well resulting in further goals with both Johnson and Leeson completely their hatricks and Lily Wilson unfortunately having a goal ruled out. Although the second half was an attacking masterclass from the Txt Drive academy, Bedford also defended strongly and were always quick to win the ball back with Tash Phillimore and captain Haslam making some excellent challenges and denying COP any opportunities in front of goal.

Next month Bedford face Buckingham and also have matches against Northampton Saints and Bourne Deeping ahead of them requiring a top 2 finish in their group to reach regionals.