Week 7 sees impressive wins and draws

Blueharts Ladies 1s were in fine form on Saturday as they defeated former National League side Chelmsford 1-0 in a high-quality meeting.

Paige Vorster scored the only goal of the game in the first half as the Hitchin side moved into the top five in the East Women’s Premier Division.

There was a high tempo to the game and little to choose between the sides when Beth Jepson worked the ball up the sideline to Emily Jakeman.

Jakeman quickly turned in the D and cut the ball back to Vorster to slide the ball in under the diving keeper.

Blueharts had to withstand some intense Chelmsford pressure in the second period, faced at times by 11 opposition players around the circle – but with Holly Christie a threat in attack, they came away from a tough trip with three important points.

The Men’s 1s were also winners, beating Dereham 3-2 to move fourth in the East Men’s Premier Division.

It didn’t look too promising for the side at half-time however as they went in 1-0 down and having missed a host of chances.

But skipper Richard Julian levelled matters in the second half, with Graham Burr putting Blueharts 2-1 up.

Dereham equalised to set up a tense finish but man-of-the-match Harvey Walton Adams made the decisive contribution with the game’s fifth and final goal – set up by Burr and Jack Floor - to seal Blueharts’ win.

A first goal in only her second appearance for the Ladies 2s from Meme Brown helped her side to a 3-3 draw against Berkhamsted and Hemel.

Rosie Ross from open play and a penalty flick by Kate Chapman also helped the 2s’ cause but they were left disappointed after spurning a series of opportunities.

A Simon Leeson goal gave the Men’s 2s a 1-0 win at Welwyn Garden City to make it seven wins out of seven in East Division 2 South West.

Leeson’s instinctive finish proved to be the difference between the sides but Blueharts could – and should – have won by more after winning no fewer than 24 short corners without scoring!

They look to make it a perfect eight at home to Shefford and Sandy this coming Saturday.

The Ladies 3s continued their fine recent form with a 6-1 thrashing of Stevenage 3s, thanks to two goals apiece from Alice Saunders, Josie Layton and Tamzin Wright.

There was also an exceptional performance from player-of-the-match Rachel Campbell as Blueharts stayed top of a tight East Division 3 South West table on goal difference.

An Alice Winton hat-trick was the highlight of a dominant display from the Ladies 4s who beat Letchworth 3s 5-0 - Katrina McLarty adding the other two goals.

Becky Graves set up Winton for the first goal, while there was some determined defending near the close to ensure a clean sheet.

There was a fine win against league leaders St Albans for the Men’s 3s as goals from Gillan Ide and Noah Tingle gave them a 2-1 victory.

Ide gave the 3s the lead with a powerful flick across goal in the first half while Tingle doubled the lead in the second period.

The Men’s 4s match at Vauxhall was postponed due to a waterlogged Luton pitch, while there was a 6-2 defeat for the 5s, against West Herts and a 3-0 loss for the 7s, at the hands of Bedford.

Defeat too, for the Ladies 5s as they lost 2-0 against Berkhamsted, while the 6s and 7s matches also fell victim to the wet weather.