Argyle Women ended the calendar year with a 3-0 victory over Real Bedford at Home Park on Sunday afternoon.
An Ellie Noble first-half brace and a goal from new signing Una Lue, in the closing stages, pushed the Greens to victory.
Head Coach Marie Hourihan made just one change to the starting line-up that faced Oxford the week prior, with Lue replacing Phoebe Hampson, and playing at the top of the front line.
Wide forward Olivia Francis had her red card against the U’s rescinded after a successful appeal from the club, meaning she retained her place in the team.
Immediately from kick-off, Argyle were hunting to find the back of the net, and came close through a flicked effort from Lue, but Bedford’s goalkeeper Erica Meale made an impressive reactive save to push the ball away.
13 minutes into the game, Tianna Teisar’s dribbling run could only be stopped through foul play from Bedford, and up stepped Ellie Noble – can you guess what happened next?
Free-kick, top corner, off the bar, and in. 1-0 Argyle. Enough said.
Bedford did look to test Argyle with counter-attacking football, but defensive efforts and hard work nullified any threats that may pose problems for Hermione Cull or the backline.
The Greens then used the counter for their own good and nearly found their second goal of the game. Francis created room on the right before delivering an enticing ball across the six-yard box, but neither Lue nor Noble could find the desired touch to turn the ball towards goal.
Chances kept coming for Argyle, but none caused major problems for the Bedfordshire visitors until, in the 40th minute, Teisar’s tidy footwork caused issues for the Pirates, as the Welsh forward won Argyle a penalty after being fouled inside the box by Hannah Warren.
Noble took the spot-kick, and it wriggled under the goalkeeper to give Argyle a two-goal lead at the break.
Argyle were hoping to come out after the break and continue to hurt Bedford with tidy and confident attacking football, but that was not the immediate case.
Caitlin Smith hit the ground heavily after a challenge and had to be forced off the pitch with an upper body injury, later diagnosed as a broken collarbone. The defender was up on her feet and managed to walk to the changing room, being replaced by Ella Stephens, but will be sidelined over the coming weeks. Our best wishes are with you, Caitlin.
The next phase of the second half was an odd one, being dominated by substitutions and little chances for either side. Bedford had their best chance of the match in the 63rd minute, when Breon Grant got a shot away after creating room inside the box, but it hit the side netting and caused no harm to Cull in the Greens’ goal.
Lue was doing exactly what you would hope from a new signing, impressing on debut, and just before the final quarter-of-an-hour, she found the back of the net.
The forward tapped home a cross from Francis, after some excellent effort from the wide player. Her celebration? A roar of happiness before turning around and being mobbed by all her new teammates in Devon.
The rain had been hammering down in spells at this point, but for the final 15 minutes, it was at its worst. This, though, caused no problems for Argyle, who played out a professional performance to end 2025 and move up to second in the FAWNL Southern Premier Division table, with three points at the Theatre of Greens.
Argyle: 1 Hermione Cull, 2 Una Lue, 6 Layla Proctor, 11 Roisin Kivel (capt), 14 Katie Wilson, 15 Tamara Wilcock (17 Paris Dalton, 72), 18 Caitlin Smith (16 Ella Stephens, 52), 19 Ellie Noble, 23 Olivia Francis, 24 Tianna Teisar (7 Charlotte Whitmore, 75), 26 Arabella Suttie. Substitutes: 31 Aimee Walters (gk), 32 Saskia Worrall (gk), 3 Phoebe Hampson, 27 Sienna Gilbert.
Goals: Noble 14, 40, Lue 74.
Real Bedford: 13 Erica Meale, 2 Hannah Warren (capi), 3 Nicola Puddick, 5 Scarlett Williams, 6 Sofia Stovold, 7 Issy Bryant, 8 Mellis Mehmet (16 Faye Fields-Davis, 84), 9 Breon Grant (21 Chloe Logie, 84), 10 Abbie Bensted (11, Lucy Wood 75), 19 Sophie Byrom (17 Leyla O’Brien, 69), 66 Rhianne Rush. Substitute: 1 Nina Meollo (gk).
Yellow card: Williams 13.
Referee: Roger Smith.
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Argyle Women's next game is their biggest of the season so far, at home to third-place Watford. Click here to join us at Home Park.
