2024/25 Season - Week 6

Blueharts Ladies 1s were lauding amazing Grace Thomson for the saves which helped them to a 2-1 win over Chelmsford in the East Division 1 South on Saturday.

The Blues goalkeeper pulled off a host of brilliant stops to keep out the Essex side and provide the platform for her team to take all three points.

Nat Gilder had given the 1s the lead against the run of play, converting after a penalty corner.

Blueharts settled and controlled the game for large parts but just after the restart the game became stretched and Chelmsford levelled.

With Thomson in brilliant form, at the other end a flowing move saw Gabby Sillis finding Jay Livermore whose pass across the D was turned in acrobatically by Helen Clarke.

Blueharts managed the final period well and now move to within a point of second-placed Bedford.

The Men’s 1s were left hugely frustrated at their inability to see the game out against Bishops Stortford who equalised with the last hit of the game in a 2-2 draw.

James Sandford had given Blueharts an ideal start with a goal after just two minutes and the Hitchin side then squandered a host of chances in the first half.

They were made to pay when Stortford equalised, but Sandford restored Blueharts’ advantage.

More gilt-edged opportunities were spurned before the final frustration of the stoppage-time second equaliser.

 A late Ally Antoniou goal earned the Ladies 2s a 2-1 win in a physical game at Shefford and Sandy.

Natalie Gibbs had given Blueharts the lead after 18 minutes with an excellent goal only for the home side to impose themselves and level before the break.

But a penalty corner led to Antoniou deflecting the ball through the keeper’s legs to clinch the win against the bottom side.

The Men’s 2s drew 3-3 at Potters Bar, while goals from Ollie Wright and Ashley Hammond saw the 3s to a comfortable 2-0 win over Harpenden, in which Charlie Baxter was man-of-the-match.

Debutant keeper Amelie Roman produced a brilliant performance for the Ladies 3s and kept the scoreline down against Luton Town who ran out 4-0 winners.

The Blues defended stoutly but still went into the break 3-0 down, however they battled away in the second period and Luton had to wait until the final minutes to score their fourth with a diving deflection.

Roman’s excellence was added to by another debutant Kaia Blake, who stepped up to the 3s for the first time.

Meanwhile the Ladies 4s went down 2-1 to West Herts despite an Amy Williams goal.

Noah Tingle put the Men’s 4s ahead at Potters Bar only for the side to concede a late equaliser in a 1-1 draw.

There was a strong start from the Men’s 5s against Royston but they couldn’t capitalise and were defeated 3-0.

Goals from Ella Lock and Chloe Bugler put the Ladies 5s 2-1 ahead against Saffron Walden – however two late goals gave the Essex side a 3-2 win.

A controversial last-minute goal denied the Men’s 6s a point at St Albans.

Paul Krishman and a brilliant goal from Edwin Robinson pulled the 6s level from 2-0 down, only for the umpires to award the home side a somewhat dubious short corner which they scrambled over the line to seal a 3-2 win.

The Ladies 6s battled to a 3-2 win at Stevenage but the 7s went down to a single goal at home to Broxbourne.

Simon Little and Oscar Galliford were on target for the Men’s 7s as they were held 2-2 by St Albans - and the Men’s 8s secured a 1-1 draw with Saffron Walden, Harry Burgess their scorer.

This was a tough test for the junior side who came up against competitive opponents but the Blues more than held their own to remain unbeaten in their debut season.