FAWNL Cup defeat to Real Bedford

Entering the game at St Ledger, our youngsters and Real Bedford had picked up maximum points from the opening two games but the senior side ended up securing top spot and automatic qualification to the knockout stages, while we will have to wait to see if we will compete in either the Cup or the Plate.

Despite impressive wins over London Bees and Northampton Town in our other two matches, we couldn’t end our group phase on the perfect note as Melis Mehmet fired the home side ahead before an Ellie Head brace gave the Pirates, who compete in the third tier of Women’s football pyramid, three points and top spot.

Jhanaie Pierre, Sophie Jackson and Heidi Hills, who have all been making the step up to first team training in recent months, returned to the starting XI for the trip to Bedfordshire and the latter was involved in an early opportunity for us, playing in Eloise Summers-Mee down the right as she flashed a wicked ball across the face of the goal but no one was there to convert.

Despite the bright start, it was the hosts who took control of proceedings from that point as we had to be defensively resolute to clear a number of crosses and corners in the opening quarter of the contest while Daisy May Bird and Holly-Mae Elmes produced key blocks to deny Anele Theodora Komani and Melis Mehmet. But, as we reached the midway point, we arguably carved out the biggest chance of the game, Pierre’s cut back from left side of the box, near the byline, was behind Grace Bellwood but she was able to get a touch for the arriving Waris Deria, whose first time effort was remarkably saved by the outstretch foot of Erica Meale.

Hills’ curling shot from the edge of the box was gathered by Meale but, in the 35th minute, it was Real Bedford who broke the deadlock, Mehmet latching onto a ball over the top and manages to poking it past Jackson and into the back of the net. Lily Whitelock’s deflected effort from outside the area found the top of the crossbar before Jackson got down low to push Head’s low shot around the post to keep the deficit at one at the break.

Head then struck the woodwork five minutes after the restart, meeting Andria Georgiou’s free-kick into the box but she could only guide her header onto the post while, a minute later at the other end, Pierre was denied by Meale from the left-hand side of the box. Deria and Hills both had chances blocked inside the area as we searched for a leveller in the contest but, just after the hour mark, the home side doubled their lead, Whitelock’s low cross from the right of the box taking a small deflection and landed to Head at the back post to smash home from close range.

It should have been three – and a second for Head – when she found herself one-on-one with Jackson but she dragged her effort wide before our shot stopper was on hand to deny Mehmet her second of the afternoon, getting a strong hand to push her shot over the bar. However, Real Bedford managed to find their third in the first minute of stoppage time, Mehmet sliding the ball across the box to Head to slot home her second and ensure her side take maximum points in the group phase.

"We’ll learn from it and keep moving forward"

"The result stings, as we feel we could have got more out of the game," coach Matt said following the game at St Ledger Stadium. "In the first half, we had to adapt to something we didn’t expect, but as the game went on, we managed the situation much better. In possession, we created some great opportunities but, unfortunately, couldn’t convert them into goals. We’ll learn from it, keep moving forward, and we look to see who we have in the knockout stages of either the Cup or Plate."

Line-ups

Spurs: Jackson, Hills, Elmes, Bird, Bush, Mace (Aramide 60), Deria, Johnson (Neill 73), Summers-Mee, Bellwood (c) (Withey 60), Pierre. Substitutes (not used): Mylam, Shields.

Match data

Goals: Real Bedford – Mehmet 35, Head 62, 90.

Yellow cards: Spurs – Elmes 18, Deria 90.

Referee: Robert Pealing.

Venue: St Ledger Stadium.

Weather: Overcast with a breeze, 17 degrees.

Attendance: 232.