Big wins for the Ladies 1's and 2's with the return of league hockey after half-term
Fylde 1 5-0 Harrogate 1
After the half term break, Fylde Ladies 1st team were back in action against bottom of the table Harrogate. Fylde were hoping to build on a good team performance beating Bowden 2-0 away from home last match.
The first quarter Fylde lacked quality on the ball, forcing too many passes causing too many turnovers in possession. This was rectified in the second quarter where Fylde started to play some quality hockey. Rebecca Worthington opened the scoring with a back post tap in from a Grace McGarvey cross from the right. Only 2 minutes later Nicola Kellett made it 2-0 with a reverse stick strike, and Fylde were now playing some excellent hockey.
This continued into the second half, with some excellent two touch hockey that Harrogate couldn't deal with. Jessica Wharton got her first goal of the season on 38 minutes with a superb finish to put the ball in the roof of the net. Grace McGarvey added her name to the score sheet to make it 4-0, and then Rebecca Worthington got a brace with another back post tap in.
The game finished 5-0 to Fylde, with some fantastic team goals on display for the home supporters in what was Fylde's best performance of the season so far.
Fylde 2 4-0 Didsbury Greys 1
On ‘Super Saturday’ down at Mill Farm a strong ladies’ 2s squad produced another impressive performance following their victory at Lymm two weeks ago.
Looking to build on a fine run of form the team were raring to go and dominated possession from the outset. The deadlock was broken after 20 minutes when Fylde were awarded a penalty corner and an unstoppable strike from Megan Wildish was deflected into the roof of the net by a Didsbury defender.
Fylde pressure continued to build with some accurate passages of play. The home team capitalised from another penalty corner on 26 minutes where Wildish grabbed her second of the game. She thundered her strike from the top of the ‘D’ into the bottom left corner of the Didsbury goal making it 2-0.
The whole squad was utilised with regular changes that kept the Fylde legs fresh and the hard work continued into the second half. Didsbury did have some opportunities to attack through several corners but the Fylde defence was steadfast.
Fylde returned to their early dominance with a fast break from an effective EJ Dunkerley clearance, straight from the back line to the front. Megan Wildish searching for her third goal of the game bolted through the Didsbury defence, into the ‘D’ and fired home another rapid shot to complete her hat-trick.
Didsbury struggled to recover from there on and Fylde continued to create chances. In the final minute of the game Holly Farquharson drove along the baseline and slotted a dangerous cross into the goal area where Isabelle Mahon pounced on the ball during a goalmouth scramble to make it 4-0.
Another convincing performance from the ever-improving ladies’ 2 squad was received well by the crowd and it leaves the team sitting only one point off the top of the league.
Fylde 3 0-1 Chorley Phoenix 1
Fylde had a new, mixed team this week, with some players dropping down to help from the 2s and a special mention to Sophia Melling who played extremely well in her debut for the 3s.
The game started out with a very unfortunate own goal which left Chorley Phoenix 1-0 up. Fylde pressed high and dominated throughout the whole of the first half, having many chances at goal but we just couldn’t find the back on the net. Half time came with the score still 1-0 to Chorley Phoenix and lots of encouragement to keep fighting back for an equalising goal.
As the second half started, Fylde continued to dominate the whole of the second half with more shots coming from Sophia Melling. Chorley Phoenix only had a couple of break throughs which were dealt with well by the defence. Flo Worden did very well on the right to create chances down that side, dribbling past multiple of the opposition. However unfortunately due to availability this week, lots of players were playing out of position which affected the way we could play. This saw the game out to a 1-0 loss. The 3s won’t be demotivated by this and will go again next week vs Garstang to try and take away 3 points.
Player of the match went to Flo Worden which was well deserved.
Fylde 4 1-2 Clitheroe Blackburn Northern 2
The first half saw Fylde starting strong, applying early pressure and creating several chances. However, Clitheroe Blackburn created many chances on target for their team with some excellent saves in goal for Fylde from Emily Byers. Clitheroe Blackburn went on to score the first goal of the game just before halftime, taking a 1-0 lead. Despite the setback, Fylde remained focused and went into the break determined to turn the game around.
The second half saw Fylde come out with renewed energy and took control of the game constantly keeping the ball in their attacking half. Their efforts were soon rewarded when Isla Carter ran down the right hand side into the D passing on to Ellie Hope, who found Megan Hartley-Smith on the post who slipped it past the keeper making the score 1-1.
This goal encouraged Fylde to push for the win for the rest of the game and working well as a team with strong efforts from Olivia Hartley-Smith on the left hand side defending well and clearing the ball to the midfield to Kelly Wiseman and Emily Finney. However, Clitheroe Blackburn responded swiftly, taking advantage of a quick counterattack to score their second goal and reclaim the lead at 2-1. Fylde continued to battle, pushing hard for another equaliser as the clock ticked down. They created several late chances, but the away side’s defence held firm under the pressure.
In the end, Clitheroe Blackburn managed to hold onto their slim lead, taking the 2-1 victory. Although disappointed with the result, Fylde showed resilience and determination throughout. Player of the match was awarded to Megan Hartley Smith for switching positions from a defensive midfield to centre forward consistently throughout the game, creating chances in the D and working well tracking down players and intercepting passes.
Fylde 5 1-4 Preston 3
A fresh 10am pushback for the 5s as the first of 5 home games on Saturday! Preston came ready for the challenge with 3 subs and players from higher teams. This week’s team were made up mostly of defenders so some compromises were made on playing positions with Evie Dunne and Dawn Peruzza successfully pushing outside their comfort zones.
The play was fairly even to start with, both Preston and Fylde winning short corners, but neither managing to convert. As Preston found their rhythm, a well sent ball was sent through the feet of the goal keeper, Alice Bishop as Fylde struggled to get back to defend. Fylde regrouped and started to play a more defensive game with Megan Eccles and Heather Appleyard working hard at the back. Preston scored again from open play but Fylde did have chances in the circle, Leah Richmond, Aimee Jennings and Gabriella Hopley-Sherratt moving the ball up the right side of the pitch to Hollie Guthrie for a shot of goal.
The restart after half time felt positive, we knew that Preston were going to keep passing well so Fylde responding in kind by doubling up against the stronger players which worked well. Fylde’s sub was feeling quite poorly so it was a full game for most of the players and it did become harder and harder to chase back. Preston scored their 3rd goal despite the best effort of the defence and keeper but Fylde still had many attacking opportunities, one of which cumulated in another penalty corner. This time, the routine was switched up and Hollie Guthrie landed Fylde’s goal from a slip pass.
Preston rounded off the game with their final goal and 5s had their first loss of the season. It wasn’t a poor performance by Fylde, they were simply out performed by a stronger side.
Leyland & Chorley 2 4-2 Fylde 6 Development
The final score did no justice to an excellent game as the latest set of young Fylde players tested their skill and guile against another mainly adult side.
Going into the lead early in the first half shocked the opposition into returning the compliment twice and we headed into half time 2-1 down.
We originally had 12 players (a luxury!) but that dropped to 11 in the morning and then back to 12 at the start of the game with the arrival of Alice Bishop, switching from GK at Mill Farm to outfield mode at Buckshaw Village.
Leyland & Chorley defended stoically, as did young Faith Mcgillivray against strong adult attackers! Sadie Atkinson was the star player for Fylde, giving us hope with two searching runs into the right hand side of the circle, releasing missile shots to the far corner of the goal. She drew deserved praise from the opposition!
A final mention, whilst praise was due to all the squad, must be made to Grace Lord who resolutely lead as Captain on the day, injuring one of her own players and taking one on her head herself to even things up! Sometimes more is learnt from losing than winning and we thank the opposition for assisting our wounded warriors.
Kendal 2 2-2 Fylde 1
Fylde Men met before 9am, including waking up some of the younger ones, to travel up to Kendal for a 10.30am push back. Amazingly the majority arrived at the pitch on time. With Fylde’s normal midfield missing due to suspension, injury or other spurious reasons (looking at you Mr Holmes), and with at least 2 others turning up manfully despite their longstanding injuries, there was a different more youthful look to the team (if you didn’t look at the defensive line anyway).
Fin Taylor was making his seasonal debut and instantly impressed with his dribbling skills and control, and bossed the midfield alongside school friend Luke Hitchen. Plenty of chances were made throughout the first half, with near misses from the both of them, as well as Jay Mayne playing upfront. Kendal were kept largely at bay by the experienced Fylde defence, with only one short corner conceded in the first half.
Fylde were keen to assert their authority onto the second half, although it took another 15 minutes before they broke the deadlock. Fin Taylor dribbled from the right hand corner down the byeline, and sent the ball across the goal, eluding the goalkeeper, with Jay Mayne at the back post flicking it into the back of the net with a satisfying clunking of the supporting metalwork.
Alas two minutes later, Kendal caught Fylde on a counter attack, and passed well between their strikers to score an equaliser. There then followed a period where both teams seemed to take turns attacking, and then a series of short corners which Fylde wasted. However they eventually managed to convert one when Luke Hitchen decided against his trademark reverse strike and instead hit the ball in the traditional way, and despite it lifting off the ground, it dipped in time to hit the back board to give Fylde a 2-1 lead.
Unfortunately Luke was given a yellow card with less than ten minutes to play, leaving Fylde with just 10 players for the remainder of the game, and Kendal managed to equalise with five minutes to play. A firm hit from just outside the D got a wicked deflection from a stick in the middle of the D, intersecting the goalkeeper Craig Nutter and central defender Pete Latimer at speed giving neither any chance to stop, and behind them a striker was able to get a touch to ensure the ball was goal bound.
Fylde then pushed for the final few minutes, and won another short corner with two minutes left. The Kendal defence broke early, before the ball was pushed in, twice in a row, meaning at the third attempt they only had the goalkeeper and two defenders. All Fylde had to do was to pass the ball accurately between their own players and surely there was a certain goal. What actually happened was Jay Mayne stopped the ball at the top of the D, and sent the ball diagonally left towards the near post. Good plan as top scorer, and super poacher, Phil Hope was waiting for the ball, ready to dive and flick the ball into the goal. What he didn’t anticipate was captain Richard Clarke coming in and trying to take the glory, scuffling his own shot straight into the goalkeeper, and the ensuing goal mouth scramble somehow going Kendal’s way.
One last attack for Fylde and another Fin Taylor dribble and run into the D, but his shot was straight at the goalkeeper, saved, and the final whistle was blown for a 2-2 draw.
Disappointment for Fylde, who could and should have won, but it was a very good natured match, and the teams shared sausage & chips down the pub afterwards, together with desserts laid on by Craig Nutter’s lady friend in the form of chocolate brownies and a whole apple and toffee cake. Ollie Holmes will be ruing his decision to miss this match!
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