The pirates defend their crown, winning back-to-back county cups
By Will Murray
Real Bedford beat Luton Town 5-0 in the Bedfordshire Senior Cup final at Kenilworth Road. Leyla O’Brien, Abbie Bensted, Breon Grant and Amber Gaylor scored the goals for the Pirates in front of 1,062 supporters.
The Hatters started brightly in the first half, winning the ball back frequently in midfield and pressing high. Bensted fired over from a corner in the early stages, as both teams cancelled each other out in the first 25 minutes.
As the game went on, the Pirates started to dominate and came close to opening the scoring through a Jess Evans header in the 27th minute. Four minutes later, Charlie Bill’s found themselves ahead through O’Brien. She received the ball from Bensted and saw her first effort deflected by Sarah Hudson, but she followed through to tuck the ball home from close range.
Bensted extended the lead four minutes later. Hannah Warren played the ball into the number 10, who turned onto her left foot from 20 yards out and fired her shot in off the underside of the crossbar.
The Pirates made it three just before the break via O’Brien. After a positive forward run from Nicola Puddick, she laid it back to the number 22, who slotted it into the bottom right corner.
Second Half
Bill’s side continued to dominate in the second half and O’Brien came close to her hat-trick after she received a short corner from Gemma Biggadike and dribbled past two defenders, but her eventual effort was straight at Hudson.
On the hour mark, Breon Grant, who pushed the Luton defence back throughout the evening, saw her effort saved by Hudson after a period of pressure from the Pirates. She didn’t have to wait long to get on the scoresheet, though, collecting the ball from Gaylor and placing her strike in the top left corner.
There was time for one more in the 83rd minute through the impressive Gaylor. The ball broke to her just outside the box and she blasted a left-footed shot emphatically into the bottom left corner past Hudson.
Luton had a late chance to get on the scoresheet through Tsaianne Leander, but she fired her right-footed shot from inside the box well wide, meaning the Pirates were crowned Beds Senior Cup champions, once again, without conceding a goal in the competition.
Next up is Chesham United in the league, with two wins needed to mathematically secure the title.
After lifting the trophy, Bill said:
“Incredibly proud of the group. Fantastic occasion. I thought it was a complete performance. From the first 25 minutes, we expected with the crowd they had behind them, the best version of them and we got that.”
“We had to grow into the game, but once we did that, some of the goals we scored and some of the passages of play we had showed complete professionalism. As cup finals go, I couldn’t have asked for much more from the group.”
The Pirates are next at home on Sunday 13th April, facing London Seaward in the league. Tickets for the match are available here
RBFC Women: Sansom, Warren, Puddick, Stovold, Evans, Biggadike (Hayes 75’), Meola, Bensted (Wilson 75’), Gaylor, Grant, O’Brien (McLean 64’)
Unused subs: Gould, Newman
Luton Town 0 - 5 Real Bedford
20th March, 2025
Kick-off: 7:45pm
Location: Kenilworth Road
