Fylde 1 0-0 Doncaster 1
Vitality Women's Conference North
Fylde welcomed Doncaster to Mill Farm for their 2nd game in this year's National North Conference, where they were looking to build upon last week's 2-1 win over Durham. Unfortunately, the home side were missing several players, but with experienced national league players Dawn Childs and Jayne Wilson coming up, along with the talented Amelia Hatton, Fylde were confident they could get something out of the game.
Doncaster started well and Fylde struggled to retain possession, but worked hard to ensure Doncaster didn't have any clear chances on goal. Fylde grew as the game went on, and by the second half were linking up to create problems for the away side around the circle. This resulted in a disallowed goal for Fylde and a yellow card for Doncaster, but unfortunately Fylde could not capitalise on this. The Fylde girls worked tirelessly to thwart the counter-attack threat and saw the game out to a 0-0 draw, remaining unbeaten.
Lucy Partington was player of the game for her excellent out-letting skills from left half.
Fylde 2 0-1 Timperley 2
North West Women's Division 1 A few changes to the team but all very capable of making an impact, clear and precise team talk from Lisa, we all knew our jobs! Timperley made their intentions clear from the push back, showing a high press from the first second. In the main, we dealt well with this throughout the match. First half showed not a lot between the 2 sides with great pressure and shots on goal from both sides! Couple of fab saves by Katie Barker making sure we had every chance to take the lead. Hannah Callagher and Beth Ridsdale making good efforts on goal but Timperley’s keeper was up to the task. Some great movement down the right with Laura Knowles and Olivia Merrick connecting well. Our tactics were working but still we couldn’t score. Timperley left two high forwards to try to spread us which was causing issues and eventually their tactics paid off with a few missed tackles allowing them through into the circle to take it round Katie Barker for the lead. Second half we kept our heads up and pushed on with more goal mouth pressure, but with a packed circle it was hard to see a way through. Great work in the middle of the team from Sally Livesey and Lisa Perry spreading the ball search for a way through. Timperley had some lovely passing to create more goal scoring chances but again we had Katie Barker standing strong! End of the match showed more pressure and determination from us to get at least a draw, with a last ditch attempt from Sally Livesey to strike the ball goal wards inches away from Hannah Callagher’s stick. Today was just not our day! Bring on next week!
Ulverston 1 2-1 Fylde 3
North West Women's Division 2 North
A big thank you to everyone who stepped forward today and completed our side. Not surprisingly we had a nervous start but quickly threw ourselves into the match. It was unclear who was going to dominate, as the sides appeared equally matched.
Ulverston scored two goals quickly, one of which followed a questionable umpiring decision. We had thought we were fighting an impossible battle but nonetheless kept our heads up and saw the potential. In the 4th short corner of the match Lauren Appleyard smashed the ball into the corner of the goal bringing us back into contention. From there onwards we dominated possession and goal scoring opportunities, we just found ourselves unable to find the net. Some great family teamwork between mother, Heather Appleyard, and daughter, Lauren Appleyard, passing and defending between each other, created many counterattacks sending the ball quickly up the pitch, with Amy Carter and Lucy Wane bossing the centre. This made choosing the Player of the Match almost undecidable, after much deliberation, it was awarded to Amy Carter.
At half time we thought that the win was within reach, from the very start of the second half till the very end we dominated in every aspect, giving it our all. A green card was given to the opposition giving us the upper hand, we attacked down the right of the pitch, but Ulverston’s strong defence wouldn’t let us through. Throughout the match various skills were utilised to get the ball past their defence, including some very proficient aerials.
Frustratingly we didn't manage to break through, we all played incredibly well. A very intense game with a final score of 2:1 which didn't reflect the quality of our play.
Fylde 4 0-2 Garstang 2
North West Women's Division 3 North (Central) Fylde 4s faced Garstang 2s lacking a vital member of the team, captain Rachel Lees. For the day Lindsey Tait led the team with her experience and positive attitude. The first half of the game was especially tough on Fylde’s defence. Garstang were playing with a very skilled and high press, and Fylde often found themselves caught off guard by the quickness of the young players. Eventually, Garstang broke through with an attack down the baseline into Fylde's D, and the ball found the foot of a Fylde player. This short was the first of 3 given against Fylde in the first half, but the defence held firm and no goals were scored. In the second half Fylde's defences began to tire. Although midfield and forwards were able to make several attacks down the wings, none were successful in their best attempts.
The score line read 2-0 to Garstang in the last minute of the match, when a stick tackle meant a short was called against Fylde. Although, as this was the last minute, umpire Chris Hills called final time, and all 10 of Garstang's players moved up front. This wasn’t the position Fylde wanted to find themselves in at the end of a tiring match in the rain. As the final short begun, a Fylde defender broke early, meaning in this final moment of the match only 3 defenders were able to help keep the score line still. A clean injection by Garstang was fast and accurate, next slipped to the right post. Defender Vicky Latham played her stick on the reverse to block a shot, less than a metre from the goal, one wrong move and it would have meant a flick. She was left on the floor giving everything to prevent this shot and possible goal, and as a Garstang player used their foot to push Vicky's stick away, the corner was over and Fylde had successfully kept the score line 2-0 despite Garstang's whole team being inside their D. Final score Fylde 4 0-2 Garstang 2
Lancaster Nomads 2 2-3 Fylde 5
North West Women's Division 4 North (Central) Fylde Ladies 5 lX played away at Lancaster University against Nomads 2 lX. This was the first game for the 5s for some of the junior players, but the team were prepared, plans were made and push back arrived. Fylde made a promising start, chasing opportunities and holding the ball in their attacking D. Fylde defence held strong until an error of play gave Nomads a lucky shot on goal and Fran Loffter-Thompson just couldn't get a foot to it. Frustrated but determined the team played on and yet again Nomads went on the break and got the ball in the back of the net. At 2-0 down Fylde started to find their rhythm. The forwards, reinforced by new player Kayt Coathup, made numerous attacks on goal all thwarted by the strong opposition. Nomads conceded a short corner and Fylde executed a perfect plan and Charlotte Lavin found the back of the net on her debut and Fylde were back in the game. Fylde by this time had started to get wise to Nomads tactics and Dawn Peruzza and Debbie McClelland started to channel attacks on the right wing and block Nomads. Abigail Southern worked tirelessly with Eve Clarkson to intercept and play the ball up to Rosie Leil and Poppy Milligan on the left. Charlotte Lavin, when supporting on the left, succumbed to a flying ball to her nose. Luckily Lisa Leil was at hand with the first aid kit to ensure Charlotte was ok and could rejoin the match. Never at any point did Fylde defence concede a short corner working accurately and as a team. This was not the case for Nomads and Fylde attackers under the experience guidance of Soraya Rigby worked their magic again on a short giving Rosie Leil her debut goal and equalising the score line. The second half brought Fylde back on the pitch motivated and ready for action. Nomads made some solid attacking play but if they weren’t shut down by the defence they were stopped in their tracks by Fran’s decisive action in goal. Predictably the Nomads midfield broke down as the older team tired and Fylde’s midfield started to dominate, Liz Johnson and her daughter Melisa Johnson worked well to hold down play and Melisa persistent attempt to win back control of the game were admirable. Eve Clarkson showed her real talent in midfield on the left and despite taking a stick to the chest, showed true hockey grit and came back into the game stronger than ever. Fylde again repeatedly made solid attacks on the D which was flooded by desperate Nomad players, eventually the ball found Poppy Milligan's stick and Fylde went ahead. The defence dropped back and Fylde tried to hold strong for the last 10 minute, Nomads had different ideas and made one last play for a goal, their centre forward made a drive at goal to shoot, Fran made a dive to save realising mid save that the ball was going to hit her helmet so she “headed” the ball in hope only knowing that she had succeeded to clear it when the team cried “Yes Fran”. Win as a team lose as a team. Final score Nomads 2 lX 2- 3 Fylde 5 lX
Wigton 1 2-1 Fylde 1
North West Men's Division 3 North
After the positive start to the season, securing 3pts at home against Keswick 2s in the previous week, the Men’s 1s travelled to Wigton in the hopes to continue the positive start to season.
Wigton came out of the gates quicker and the opening 15 minutes Fylde struggled to get out of their own half. The odd aerial from skipper Sym gave the defence some breathing space. A quick break lead to Fylde securing a penalty corner. The home umpire pulling up Adam Ball for having his foot on the line and sending the injector back to the half-way line as punishment, this decision meant a re-take was required and Fylde dispatched the re-take with Sym firing the ball low to the left of keeper who was left standing from the Drag Flick.
From there Fylde struggled to get a foothold of the game and take advantage of the goal. Wigton proceeded to pile the pressure on and the team worked hard to keep the ball out of the net.
Second half was much of the same and Wigton, continuing to pile on the pressure managed to finally find the back of the net, this gave the home team the push they needed and they found a second shortly after.
A disappointing result for Fylde who struggled to find any momentum in the game.
Fylde 2 2-1 Windermere 2
North West Men's Division 4 North Fylde Men’s 2’s beat Windermere 2’s in the early match at Mill Farm, thus keeping their 100% record and finishing the day in 3rd place in the division. Scott Versterre made a strong impression from the start playing at right back on his league debut, having to make some important tackles, and his whole performance was later voted Man of the Match. Fylde had to survive a scare, when a short corner shot for Windermere was deflected up and over the goalkeeper and captain Craig Nutter, but Andy Lund was able to stop it going over the goal line and scramble it to safety.
Fylde took the lead midway through the half, Phil Weir took a free hit in the opposition half and passed to Pete Latimer who had run from the back into space, and took the ball into the D, where a Windermere defender misjudged the ball and it fell to striker Ollie Holmes to clinically put away into the goal.
Bertie Jones was subbed onto the pitch with the wise words of Chris Hills to win a short corner and score from one, and that's exactly what happened, he showed off his dribbling skills in the D and got a ball onto an opposition foot to win a penalty corner, and then had the first strike with a firm and direct shot into the inside corner of the goal.
The second half was a scrappier more open affair, with Windermere pressing more and Fylde losing some structure. A Windermere forward was able to dribble into the D evading several defenders, and score with a well-placed shot. However, Fylde managed to hang on to their single goal advantage to the end of the game.
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