8 games and 48 goals scored across the weekend, 28 of those by Fylde teams.
Ladies 1's are 1st in their National Conference North whilst the Ladies 2's stay 2nd in NW Division 1.
Fylde 1 2-1 Whitley Bay & Tynemouth 1
Fylde extended their lead at the top of the table with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over a resolute Whitley Bay side.
From the first whistle, Whitley Bay struggled to break through Fylde’s pressing blockade. It didn’t take long for Fylde to take the lead when Grace McGarvey drove into the circle before being fouled by the Whitley Bay keeper, the umpire awarded a penalty stroke which Nicky Kellett calmly converted.
Fylde continued their relentless press leaving Whitley Bay with limited options going forward. Forwards Jess Wharton and Olivia Newman-Kirk both utilising their pace to create dangerous opportunities for Fylde, and Megan Wildish coming close with a strike hitting the post.
Wildish redeemed herself in the second quarter when player of the match Nicky Kellett brushed aside the entire Whitley Bay defence and squared the ball to Wildish to increase Fylde’s lead to 2-0.
Whitley Bay threw everything forward in the final quarter and were rewarded with a dubious penalty corner which they converted. Despite a late surge from Whitley Bay, Fylde’s defence held firm with goalkeeper Katie Barker making a couple of crucial saves and defender Vicky Rukin cutting off any potential avenues for Whitley Bay to exploit.
Another great team performance from Fylde, with their defensive solidity and ability to press effectively proving the difference on the day.
Brooklands-Poynton 2 0-8 Fylde 2
A dominant performance away at the bottom of the division team, with two goals from each of Keira Tomes, Isabelle Maylon and Dawn Child, and one from Isabelle Mahon and Grace Tomlinson.
Fylde 2 1-1 Golborne & Prescot 1 (Sunday)
A big match for Fylde Ladies 2 as they face one of the top-table teams in their division, Golborne & Prescot 1. The competition have brought a seasoned team to Mill. Will Fylde’s Ladies 2, a mix of experience and youth, deliver a strong performance to make up for their early season defeat against this strong team? Will they maintain their table position or go down a place? Another grey Sunday on top of the hill at Mill Farm. The rain has stayed away from Mill Farm, but not the Fylde supporters who are hoping for a successful 70 minutes of play.
The starting whistle blows at 13:03. The first few minutes are of jittery play as both teams struggle to settle into their games. Not surprising given what is at stake today. The first 8 minutes of the game go Fylde’s way as most of the play is in the opposition’s half. There were a few threats as Golborne & Prescot got the ball near Fylde’s D, but Sophia Murray blocks any further advance. 10 minutes in and the opposition shoot towards Fylde’s D. Holly Farquharson clears the ball out of Fylde’s D to Ruby Cosgrove who drives it back down the field.
13:15 and a short corner for Fylde. Holly Farquharson to EJ Dunkerley, A powerful shot by EJ to goal but it hits the leg of one of the competition and doesn’t go in.
13:17 and the match is well balanced. All players getting plenty of ball time as Golborne & Prescot come back from a dominant first 10 minutes of Fylde play. Even Fylde goalkeeper Michelle Longton has to run out from goal to clear the ball in what was a dangerous moment for Fylde.
13:23 a long ball down the left hand side that Dawn Child picks up and takes into Golborne & Prescot’s D. The competition defence keeps Dawn from a clear shot for goal. She flicks it upwards and backwards in hope that it will land near goal, but the competition clear it. 20 minutes into the first half and both teams remain goalless.
13:24 and Fylde are back in Golborne & Prescot’s D again. The competition’s defence is racing back to defend. A great opportunity for a Fylde goal shot. Kiera Tomes tries desperately to take it, but the Golborne & Prescot defence arrive just in time to frustrate her efforts.
25 minutes into the first half and there is a dangerous moment for Fylde. Golborne & Prescot hit a high ball into Fylde’s half. They play it into Fylde’s D and it is first goal to the opposition. The pressure is on Fylde to recover.
13:30 and Golborne & Prescot stop play due a broken stick. Both teams giving everything they have. Very little between them in terms of play.
30 minutes gone and short corner to Golborne & Prescot. Well defenced by Fylde. Jayne Wilson and Sally Livesey clear the ball.
The last few minutes of the first half show a strong attacking Golborne & Prescot team against a struggling Fylde defence. However, Fylde hold out to the half-time whistle. The score is 1 goal to nil for the visitors.
The second half stars at 14:47. Fylde come out strong and get the ball into Golborne & Prescot’s D. Frankie Margerison shoots but can’t get the power needed to reach goal.
14:52. Ester Thompson and Grace Tomlinson work the ball into the visitor’s D, Keira Tomes shoots, but Golborne & Prescot’s keeper denies Fylde their first goal. Another shot by Dawn Child at the competition’s goal and it is a short corner to Fylde. Grace takes the shot corner pass to Izzy Mahon who shoots for goal. Again, the visitor’s goalkeeper denies Fylde their first score.
15:53. Golborne & Prescot lob the ball into Fylde’s half. EJ finds some extra energy and chases full-pace the ball and the competition attack. A hand to her back drives her into the fence at Fylde’s end. Fortunately, no injuries. The play is tense. Golborne & Prescot fighting to hold onto, and maybe extend, their one goal lead. Fylde fighting for their first goal to level the score.
Halfway through the second half, Ruby Cosgrove passes to Izzy Malyon to Frankie Margerison and then back to Ruby for a shot at goal. Yet again, the competition defence frustrates Fylde’s attempt at goal. Keira Tomes takes the ball in again. But again, no shot on for Fylde. 20 minutes into the second half and Fylde are struggling to equalise.
16:06. Golborne & Prescot are at Fylde’s D, threatening to extend their lead. They shoot, Sally Livesey dives and, at full stretch on the ground, clears the ball. Pressure off Fylde.
16:07. The opposition secure a short corner, but don’t score. Saved yet again by Sally and another of her athletic dives. All to play for! Each player has skin in the game. Not so sure about Sally’s knees!
5 minutes remaining. EJ Dunkerley plays a long shot into Golborne & Prescot’s D, Frankie Margerison shoots and, finally, Fylde secure their first goal of the match. The score is level.
Golborne & Prescot pile the pressure on Fylde in the remaining few minutes of the match. However, Fylde’s defensive team, Holly, EJ, Sophia and Sally, keep them away from goal
Final whistle. Fylde Ladies 2 and Golborne & Prescot draw with one goal each. Fylde probably happier with the result than the competition.
A huge thank you to Golborne & Prescot for being fantastic opponents and for providing an exciting 70 minutes of hockey and a loud thank you to our Fylde Fans for their even more vocal support from the stands.
Another convincing performance from a strong Fylde team that enjoys playing together and continues to go from strength to strength. This combination of experience and youth is proving a success this season. Fylde Ladies 2’s strong performance today help them maintain their strong position in the league.
Penrith 1 7-1 Fylde 3
3s travelled to Penrith on Saturday to play a tough 2nd in the league side. As they were warming up they were waiting for 3 players to arrive from a school fixture in Manchester.
The game started and it was clear why Penrith were high in the league, they had strong forwards who goal hanged meaning defence had to drop back. Fylde had to adapt to some change in positions which was clear was a struggle as Penrith managed to slot away 4 goals in the first half but this wasn’t to say Fylde had no attempts on goal, 3s had multiple chances to score in the first half but Penrith's goalkeeper managed to keep sweeping away the ball. Fylde gained a short corner in which the ball was injected to Liz Johnson then slipped to Abbie Southern who slapped the ball across the D to Natalie Smith on back post which was saved by the diving goalkeeper, this was so unfortunate not to have made the score line 4-1 before half time.
In the second half Penrith continued to press high and drive the ball throughout into the D however Fylde had settled a bit more now and they now managed to stop Penrith attacking as much, Fylde continued to have some shots on goal in which as pass from Abi Wensley to a tap in from Sophia Melling finally made the score line 4-1.
Shortly into the second half Penrith gained a short corner which meant Abbie Southern got a ball to the arm meaning she had to stay off for the rest of the match, positions to change yet again to accommodate this. Before the final whistle Penrith managed to score 3 more goals.
This was not a great game for Fylde, we know what needs to be worked on as the last time we played this team we came out with a 3-2 victory. We now put this game behind us and move onto trying to gain more points next week.
Fylde 4 2-4 Lancaster Nomads 1 (Sunday)
The match got off to a difficult start for Fylde, as Lancaster scored within the first five minutes to take an early 1-0 lead.
However, Fylde responded well and soon equalised. A run from Camilla Wyles up the pitch, with a cross onto the post where Hollie Whiteside was waiting to tap the ball past the keeper, making it 1-1 and bringing the game level.
The momentum then swung in Fylde’s favour when, not long after the equaliser, they found themselves in front. A quick break from midfield and a clinical finish from Abigail Wensley saw Fylde take a 2-1 lead. The joy was short-lived, though, as Lancaster fought back, making it 2-2 just before the break.
At half-time, the score was even, but Fylde knew the second half would be a tough test against a Nomads side who have been unbeaten all season. The second half proved challenging for Fylde, as Lancaster's quality began to show. They took control of the game and added two more goals, taking a 4-2 lead.
Later on Lancaster Nomads received a penalty flick, however Emily Byers was up for the challenge and made an excellent save, keeping Fylde’s spirits high. Despite several good chances for Fylde to get back into the match, Lancaster’s defence held strong, and the scoreline remained unchanged.
It was a tough, scrappy game for Fylde, who showed plenty of fight but ultimately couldn't match the firepower and composure of the league leaders. The 4s will look to take the positives from the match into their next fixture and continue to improve as the season progresses.
Fylde 5 10-0 Lancaster & Morecambe 2
A home game for the 5s this week and the last minute loss of the goalkeeper due to illness meant we decided to be brave and play with 11 outfield.
Fylde started strong with good structure and accurate passes. Sophia Taylor opened the scoring early quickly followed by a penalty corner deflection from Evie Dunne. Fylde had 3 subs on bench giving fresh legs a run whilst working well together. Nikki Richmond landed a bobbly goal from a penalty corner strike followed by two more goals for Sophia Taylor granting her a hat trick before half time.
Lancaster & Morecambe worked hard throughout but Fylde’s defence, made up of Dawn Perruza, Heather Appleyard, Alice Bishop, Megan Eccles and Jess Grice stood strong, clearing any loose opportunities Lancaster & Morecambe tried to find.
The second half continued in the same spirits, the team had found their flow and Sophia Taylor scored two more shortly after the restart. Hattie Tollerson, Tilly Tomlinson, Julie Knowles, Niamh Smith and Aimee Jennings rotated well in the mid field, pushing the play up the pitch and picking up rebound balls to attack again. Sophia Taylor scored again from open play and Fylde had a couple of penalty corners which were near misses.
Megan Eccles ventured higher than usual, displaying her skills and even having a shot on goal! Gabriella Hopley-Sherratt diligently received balls on the right and drove up to the baseline, her efforts finally paying off with a goal in the last few minutes. As Fylde approached the final whistle, Aimee Jennings was rewarded with a goal followed by Sophia Taylor who completed her second hat trick of the game. Lancaster & Morecambe worked hard throughout but Fylde played to their strengths, held their formation and just enjoyed themselves.
A delightful win and good opportunity for the younger players to see how to adjust play when there is no goalkeeper.
Southport 2 2-2 Fylde 5 (Sunday)
Fylde Ladies 5th Team travelled to a dull and cold Southport on Sunday, looking for their second win of the weekend. A squad of 13 players reduced to 12 with the news that Hattie was suffering from a muscle strain from the previous day.
A good mix of youth and experience took the field with confidence and dominated the first half with well structured passing routines. Alice Bishop was sent up to support the young forward line whilst players adapted to new positions. Megan played a starring role in centre midfield as Capt, replacing regular Capt, Nikki, with Fran and Debbie directing coaching points on and off the field.
Evie Dunne and Alys Williams played their hearts out whilst Niamh Smith supported attackers Gabi and Aimee who were creating many half chances. Aimee Jennings scored the first goal, 6 minutes in, whilst Alys Williams scored a second, on 20 minutes, with a fabulous low, hard, sweeping push into the corner of the net from the edge of the circle. 2-0 up and defence keeping strong with fine performances from Debbie and Dawn with Heather driving up the right.
All seemed comfortable as we headed for a second win but Southport came out strong in the second half and started to have some near misses. Heather then had to leave, with 10 minutes remaining, to shuttle back to Mill Farm to umpire a match. One defensive mistake shortly followed and Southport pounced! A mad 5 minutes then ensued as they pressed for an equaliser! It took the last move of the game and a well delivered strike at goal for Southport to deliver the blow!
Heads held high, we valiantly shook hands and thanked the opposition but knew that they had played their “get out of jail card” and had earnt a lucky point on a cold and damp afternoon.
Fylde 1 2-5 Preston 7
Fylde Men were determined to avenge their unlucky 2-2 draw against Preston 7’s earlier in the season, with Tim van Rijn especially up for the game after having served an extremely harsh 60 day ban from the first match.
Fylde had the perfect start with some great passing from Oli van Rijn to Martin Hayes in the D who passed on to Phil Hope who picked his spot and flicked the ball into the net.
After ten minutes of Fylde possession, Preston had their turn. A most unfortunate back pass on the 22-yard line by Phil Weir was deemed to have been deliberately hit off the pitch and a short corner awarded to Preston, who with their experienced lineup made no mistake and equalised.
Not long later, another mistake in the Fylde defence, this time Pete Latimer misjudged a bobbling ball which hit his foot in the D with another short corner conceded. Again Preston took advantage and scored, taking a 2-1 lead.
Fylde couldn’t break through and after a stern half-time team talk came out knowing they needed to put more effort in. Alas it was Preston who scored the next goal, and now looked comfortable in a 3-1 lead.
Fylde continued to press and attack, finding space on the wings, but Preston had a strong defence snuffing out opportunities. However a quickly taken free hit on the right found Luke Hitchen able to dribble into the D and take a reverse stick strike which found the back-board.
With just a single goal deficit and 15-20 mins left, it felt like Fylde could make a comeback. Both sides were feeling the pressure, and there were several cards awarded, both yellow and green, for either over-physical tackling or back chat to the umpires.
Preston won a short corner, and after Fylde’s no.1 runner mistimed his initial tackle and instead kicked the ball, it was deemed to be a deliberate stop of a shot at goal and a penalty stroke was awarded to Preston, much to Fylde’s confusion. They took full advantage and went 4-2 ahead.
Another late goal for Preston, after a nice passing move, meant a very disappointing 5-2 home defeat for Fylde.
Man of the match was awarded to Pete Latimer, for keeping the Preston strikers at bay for most of the game in open play, but there were also several votes for Oli Adewale for his work rate up and down the pitch.
A game to learn from, and move on to another difficult game away against 2nd placed South Lakes next week.
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