Beeston 2XI 2-2 Fylde 1XI
Investec Women's England Hockey League North Conference
Fylde Ladies 1s travelled to Nottingham Hockey Centre for the second time this season, to face Beeston Ladies 2s, a team fighting for their lives at the foot of the table.
In the home leg, Fylde came out 3-0 winners in a convincing victory, but after 2 losses in their last 2 games The Coasters knew they must be fully focussed to get anything out of the game.
Fylde began the game strongly, with a robust defensive structure proving difficult to break down and leading to lots of possession for the team in white. Much focus has been put on Penalty Corners of late, so it was pleasing to see the first routine dispatched by Laura Hayton in the 15th minute to make it 1-0 to Fylde.
Having secured EH League status for 2020/21 the remaining fixtures provide Fylde with a unique opportunity to play relatively pressure free, however Beeston soon capitalised on a mixup at the back to draw the scores level just after the 20 minute mark.
Not long after, Hattie Madden got on the end of an outstanding team move, with some excellent interplay stretching the entire length of the pitch and Madden duly getting her 3rd goal of the campaign and putting Fylde 2-1 ahead.
From this moment onwards, both teams came close to altering the scoreline, but it seemed set on remaining 2-1 to the away side. Deep into the final quarter Fylde seemed impossible to break down, but it was a Penalty Corner on the final whistle that eventually broke the defence, Beeston equalising and making the final score 2-2.
Player of the Match: Laura Hayton
Having secured our league status for next year, we wanted to use today’s game to apply a new formation, which the girls did excellently today. We created a great amount of chances, and the squad know we just need to be more clinical in the circle to really put games to bed when we are in the ascendancy.
Tom Little Coach
Fylde 2XI 2-1 Timperley 2XI
North Hockey League West Division 2
Last game of the season saw a Fylde 2nd team at home to Timperley and a return to play for Leanne Sharples. With three young players away in Taunton playing for school, a much changed team lined up with instructions to get another win. The game also saw Adrian Metcalf standing down as a coach at the club after many years in the game.
Timperley started strong, but Fylde got the first goal with good link play resulting in Lisa Swaine crossing for Hannah Mears to finish in the centre.
The game ebbed and flowed and just before half time Timperley got a deserved goal.
Second half was a tense affair with Izzy Slater in goals having a good game and the team being urged on by both Cathy Fewson-Reeve and captain Sally Livesey. 8 minutes to go and Lisa Swaine scored a goal from the right after Fylde had stretched the play.
The game finished with Fylde players delighted they had won the game and the coach was smiling. It has been a hard season with 37 players turning out for the team. Thanks must go to Sally and Cathy for keeping the side together and to Helen Fewson-Reeve our TD for officiating at the matches for the team.
Uni of Liverpool 2XI 5-4 Fylde 3XI
North Hockey League West Division 3 North
Fylde 3rd Team completed their first season in the North League with an away fixture against Liverpool University 2nd Team – a bottom of the table clash.
It was a game of swinging fortunes and nervous finishing from the Fylde front line.
Depleted by a school tournament, Fylde Ladies’ 3s started dreadfully at Liverpool University where a lack of patience in tackling and tracking players led to a 3 goal deficit.
An improved spell dragged the score back to 4-4, including two goals from Hannah Callagher, but missed chances were the culprit as Liverpool ran out 5-4 winners
The 4-5 defeat and score line seemed a harsh reflection on the game despite Fylde having several key players missing on the day.
It has been the same story every week with a changing and unsettled squad but the Coasters live to fight another day as the only club 3rd Team in the area playing regional league hockey!
Following the trickle-down effect of promotion and relegation battles in higher divisions, the result did not matter, as Fylde 3rd Team look to have held onto a North League place for a second successive season.Â
Fylde 4XI 5-0 Lancaster and Morecambe
Lancashire Central Women's Hockey League - Division 1
Lancaster and Morecambe 2's conceded their final match against Fylde Ladies 4's due to some of their team being in Covid-19 self-isolation, and the league awarded Fylde a 5-0 walkover, and with Clitheroe & Blackburn 2's losing their final match, it meant that Fylde finished 2nd in Lancs Central Division 1 and are promoted.
Clitheroe and Blackburn Northern 3XI 3-0 Fylde 5XI Lancashire Central Women's Hockey League Division 2
Ladies 5th Team knowing they had secured 3rd place with a trophy, knew the pressure was off against Clitheroe & Blackburn 3's, who were gunning for the title.
The team was captained by Nikki Richmond and held the strong opposition until just before half time. Saves from Player of the Match, goalie Felicity Flood-Whittle, kept the girls in the game. They lost 3-0 but the girls never gave up on another soaking wet day of weather in Blackburn!
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