3 Goals as Real Bedford Women Start Pre-season off on a High
By Will Murray
Real Bedford Women beat AFC Sudbury 3-1 in their first pre-season match in front of supporters, thanks to goals from Lucy Wood, Nicola Puddick and a trialist.
Wood opened her account for the Pirates after only two minutes. Breon Grant originally struck the post, but the ball came back to the new signing inside the box, who fired home.
The hosts nearly responded four minutes later through Jess Allen, whose effort hit the post after she intercepted a backpass.
Allen was not to be denied a second time, though, equalising a minute later. A long ball over the top bounced over the trialist goalkeeper, leaving an empty net for Allen to level the match.
The game settled down midway through the first-half. In the 36th minute, the Pirates found themselves in the lead again, this time through Puddick.
Leyla O’Brien stretched the Sudbury defence and laid the ball to the left-back on her outside, who eventually fired home from a very tight angle.
Second Half
Bill made several changes at the break.
The Pirates continued to dominate the game, coming close to doubling their advantage through Wood again.
Puddick made an impressive run on the left wing, laying the ball back to Wood inside the box, whose shot was straight at the goalkeeper from point-blank range.
Sudbury threatened to equalise through a couple of set pieces, but the trialist goalkeeper made a couple of important saves to deny the hosts.
In the 86th minute, a different trialist’s sliding challenge intercepted a backpass from a Sudbury defender, leading to the ball trickling into the net.
Grant, who was a thorn in the hosts’ defence throughout the afternoon, nearly got on the scoresheet two minutes later. Her right-footed effort struck the woodwork again, meaning the Pirates settled for an impressive 3-1 away win.
After the pre-season victory, Bill said:
“We feel like we’re in a really good position, really exciting and the group is working really hard behind the scenes.
“Every game is going to be a step up in quality. Every game we’re going to have to be on it and need that support.”
First Half XI: Trialist, Warren, Evans, Stovold, Puddick, Biggadike, Hayes, Wood, Trialist, Grant, O’Brien.
Second Half XI: Trialist, Warren, Evans, Stovold, Puddick, Biggadike, Trialist, Wood, Grant, Trialist, O’Brien.
AFC Sudbury 1-3 Real Bedford
13th July 2025
Kick-off: 2pm
Location: The MEL Group Stadium
