Wroxham made four changes to the starting line-up from last Sunday. Kayleigh Robb, Rosie George, Grace Birchall were rested with Cyan Fullbrook named as a substitute with Naomi Cooper, Broghan Scully and Gracie Squire playing outfield with Hope Armstrong in goal for the first half. Under clear blue skies Wroxham kicked off with the Kenny Cooke stand behind them.

Wroxham had some good early chances. Seven minutes in Hope Strauss threaded a ball from midfield into the path of Holly Walker who cut inside Funmi Babalola to shoot wide. Six minutes later Lauren Bullard passed into space for Becky Russell to run into, but the shot was blocked by goalkeeper Jade Smallbones.

Wroxham’s defence was tested when a Jasmine Ajayi pass sent Ella Meadowcroft through to chase, but Jess Horne was quicker and was able to clear the ball into midfield.

However, three minutes after the first scheduled drinks break Bedford took the lead. A Wroxham goal kick was met by Babalola just inside Wroxham’s half. Babalola charged down the right toward the goal-line and sent in a cross that was powerfully headed home from 6 yards.

Bedford were having the better of the first half. Babalola had a shot from distance that cleared the goal, Fensome passed through to a colleague requiring Hope Armstrong to come and gather ahead of her opponent, and a move down the right saw Gemma Franklin cross to Zara Carroll who blasted over from 30 yards.

39 minutes played, Rhianne Brister was sent to the sinbin for a comment to the referee that he disliked. Soon after Ajayi had a couple of chances. The first was a lifted shot that cleared the cross bar, the second a shot narrowly wide - that came after a long period of pressure where the one player advantage helped Bedford’s defence and midfield to be in the right position whenever they lost the ball.

Within a minute of the start to the second half Cyan Fullbrook was called upon to gather the ball at the edge of the area. Bedford had other opportunities, but most attacks this half were by Wroxham. A poor goal-kick by Smallbones was taken by Gracie Squire who played a one-two with Naomi Cooper before sending Horn through to shoot on target.

Russell ran onto a pass to hit a cross into the Bedford area. In the melee Beford cleared but a Wroxham shot was deflected for a corner. From the corner the ball fell to Squire who tried to guide the ball into the top left-hand corner but instead narrowly cleared the bar.

With Brister out of the sinbin, Wroxham were back to full strength. Another great Wroxham move saw some fine passing and moving where Cooper passed to Horn who gave it to Russell who laid it into the path of Broghan Scully to shoot just over from 30 yards.

Wroxham’s next two attacks came from Russell passing to Lauren Bullard – the first resulted in the keeper saving to concede a corner, the other the ball didn’t slow down enough to enable a meaningful shot. A sweeping move that went from right wing to left gave Scully an opportunity to shoot but the shot was inches wide of the post. Wroxham were dominant and just needed the breakthrough they deserved.

Bedford were still making chances. After 39 minutes of play, a Bedford counterattack paid off with a second goal. Fullbrook couldn’t get to the ball ahead of an advancing Fensome who knocked the ball inside to Meadowcroft to score.

Almost from the restart, Wroxham went on the attack. Bullard laid the ball into the path of Squire whose shot scuffed the top of the net. Wroxham had more attacks – Hope Strauss intercepting a diagonal ball ran forward to give Bullard a chance.

But Bedford scored a third two minutes before the final whistle. From a corner by Destiny Pap, the ball fell to captain and right-back Franklin to score.