Match Reports 1 Nov 2025
- Peter Latimer
- 2 days ago
- 11 min read
Important wins for the Ladies 1's & 2's, big 6-0 win for the Ladies 4's and a dramatic fightback for the Men.
Whitley Bay & Tynemouth 1 2-3 Fylde 1
Fylde travelled to Whitley Bay ready for a win this week.
Fylde started strong linking up the pitch putting pressure on Whitley Bay’s defence. Fylde won a short corner which was then converted by Jess Wharton putting us 1-0 up.
Fylde continued to defend as a unit and break down Whitley’s defence. A quick attack from Lucy Wane, Megan Wildish and Nicky Kellet which led Nicky to score, which convincingly broke the back of the net giving us a 2-0 lead.
Another great play from Fylde using high transfer by Grace McGarvey led to a ball from Vicky Rukin into the D where Jess Wharton slotted away getting her second goal and putting Fylde 3-0 up.
Towards the end of the game Fylde were given 2 unlucky cards and Whitley scored 2 goals in the last quarter. Fylde battled to the end and the final score was 3-2.
MOM Jess Wharton scoring 2 goals!
Fylde 2 2-1 Carlisle 1
Fylde 2s secured a hard-fought 2–1 victory against a strong Carlisle 1s side in an exciting and competitive game.
Carlisle started brightly, attacking with intent down their left and using their captain’s aerial skills to good effect—nearly catching Fylde out early on. Despite Fylde’s solid press and structure, a swift switch of play from right to left opened space for Carlisle, who capitalised in the 4th minute to take the lead.
Fylde responded brilliantly, refusing to let their heads drop. They created several chances, winning two short corners, with Dawn Child coming agonisingly close to scoring. Persistent pressure eventually paid off as Izzy Mahon pounced on a loose ball in the Carlisle circle to level the score.
Moments later, just before half time, excellent individual skill and a driving run from Emma Savidge created another goalmouth scramble, and once again Izzy Mahon was on hand to finish—putting Fylde 2–1 ahead at the break.
The second half was dominated by Fylde, whose press pinned Carlisle deep in their own half. Strong defensive organisation and great connections through midfield saw further chances created by Chelsea Atkinson and Izzy Mahon, though Carlisle’s keeper held firm.
In the dying moments, Carlisle won a short corner in a last push for an equaliser, but goalkeeper Sophie Slawson pulled off three outstanding saves in succession to deny them and secure all three points for Fylde.
A fantastic all-round team performance, full of grit, skill, and determination. Special thanks to Adrian Metcalf for running the bench and providing invaluable support throughout the match!
Fylde 3 1-2 Chorley Phoenix 1
Fylde set out again this week to remain top of the league, knowing that the Chorley Phoenix side were going to be a more experienced and physical side they knew they may have to change up the way they want to play.
Chorley Phoenix came out strong from the off, building pressure on the 3s defensive line. After 9 minutes of game play, Chorley managed to catch out the midfield, breaking through and opening the scoreboard as their forward taps the ball into the back of the net.
Fylde were clearly disappointed in the way that this goal occurred but set back up and went again trying to drive the ball up the pitch to find an outcome in the D. Fylde tried to play long balls through the centre of the pitch in order to find the forwards to drive the ball into the D, however Chorley Phoenix read these balls well and picked them up which turned over the game and Fylde would need to defend again.
Megan Hartley- Smith drove the ball up the left hand side of the pitch, using her pace she put the Chorley defender under pressure, forcing her into a foul, winning Fylde’s first short corner. Lydia Hayhurst takes a strike from top D but the Chorley goal keeper manages to save it, Lydia picks up the ball again but narrowly couldn’t find the right pass before the Chorley defender steals the ball to push it out of danger.
Once again the Chorley Phoenix midfielder manages to intercept the ball by picking it up on her reverse, where she then runs into the D, taking a shot. Emily Byers brilliantly saves the initial attempt but the ball unfortunately landed with another attacking player who had run into from top D where she found the back of the net on a second occasion.
Half time approached, Fylde were disappointed in the way they were playing but talked about where they were going wrong. It was evident that as a team we were trying to dribble with the ball too often so we knew in the second half we needed to go back to using each other more and passing the ball around, keeping possession.
The second half was much more even between the two teams, with Fylde having more attempts at goal and creating pressure for the strong Chorley Phoenix defence, this fitted the confidence of the 3’s.
Megan Hartley- Smith and Hermione Edwards played the ball down the sides of the pitch beautifully whilst using the midfield to create triangles to bypass the opposition. Lauren Appleyard found herself top D and executed a brilliant reverse shot that unfortunately went just wide of the net.
Sophia Melling had several brilliant runs into the D with the ball taking on the defenders and getting a strike away which on all occasions only narrowly missed the back of the net, but in the 62nd minute after Talia Armstead’s effort being pushed away from the goal, Sophia Melling lifted the ball over the diving keeper to bring the score to 2-1.
Unfortunately, even though it was coming, Fylde ran out of time to find a second goal to equalise. This was Fylde’s first loss of the season therefore the girls were inevitably disappointed with the outcome, knowing they should have won the game.
However, despite the loss, the 3’s still remain strong at the top of the league but there is lots that the girls can take away from Saturday’s match and work on in training whist they prepare for next week.
Player of the match votes this week saw 6 different people receiving nominations. But Man of the match this week was a tie between Lydia Hayhurst, Liv John- Haslam and Lauren Mayor for continuous hard work throughout the game.
Fylde 4 6-0 Preston 2
Fylde won first pushback at Mill Farm against local rivals Preston, whom quickly took control and attacked Fylde’s D. After a few minutes Fylde settled into formation and turned the play around. Strong marking in the D prevented any real chances from Preston.
A 1-2 down the right wing from Aimee Jennings and Sophia Taylor saw a pass to the top of the D which Ellie Hope found the end of, nutmegging the keeper to give Fylde their first goal.
Preston fought back but stellar performances by the back line, Evie Dunne and Evie Bromley, led by Zoe Kirkham demonstrated maturity and composure. An excellent interception of a Preston 16 free hit by Izzie Thompson, saw her drive back into their 23, with a neat pass to Camilla Wyles at the top of the D who slot the ball past the keeper.
Preston brought the attack again but Evie Dunne’s quick reaction meant Hollie Guthrie was able to carry the ball down the right side into the D. The ball was cleared by Preston to a waiting Aimee Jennings who return the ball to Hollie, sending a crossed ball to the P spot stopped by Leah Richmond and finished by Sophia Taylor for a third goal.
Despite the positive scoreline, this was a tough game as Preston didn’t give up but Fylde grew in confidence, playing nice, simple hockey. Fylde won their first short corner which was received by Isla Carter who aimed a strong ball at the far post, unfortunately Fylde couldn’t quite get on the end of it.
Emily Finney and Izzie Thompson showed resilience in the middle, effectively transferring and switching play. Hollie Guthrie sent another good ball across the D to Ellie Hope who had a great chance on goal but the keeper managed to scramble and save the attempt.
Preston mounted their next attack from the back however Alys Williams decided that wasn’t going to happen, picking up a loose ball and passing into Camilla Wyles who showed her dribbling prowess, dodging two players and the keeper to land her second goal.
Half time saw the sun go down and it start to get quite chilly but Fylde were feeling confident, seeing the results of their efforts at training paying off.
The restart saw Fylde go from strength to strength, spending most of the time in Preston’s half. Camilla made several good runs at the D sending balls into well positioned Hollie Guthrie and Leah Richmond.
Fylde won a short corner, injected by Zoe. A straight strike from Camilla was saved and the rebound was caught by Emily who also had a great shot on goal but the keeper was already back on her feet and ready to go down saving that effort as well.
Preston continued to fight back, using aerial balls to try and break Fylde’s press. Small battles were happening in Fylde’s 23 but Evie Bromley and Zoe showed no signs of fatigue as they relentlessly cleared balls out to the waiting midfield. A long corner to Aimee Jennings, saw her drive into the D releasing the ball so that Sophia Taylor could find her way past the keeper for another goal.
Shortly after, Sophia had another shot on goal, the rebound of which was caught by Ellie Hope who nearly scored again! Another short corner saw Fylde set up, Izzie Thompson injecting to Emily who sent the ball across to the far post. The keeper got a foot on it but Izzie Thompson came in strongly to deflect the ball back to Sophia’s stick and into the goal.
Preston were getting much less possession than the start of the game but they did continue to press and attack Fylde’s D resulting in their only short corner. Evie Dunne ran out quickly, meaning Preston’s slip ball was a little panicked and allowed Nikki Richmond to intercept and clear the ball out to Camilla who ran the length of the pitch to have another shot on goal which sadly went wide.
Despite coaxing goalkeeper Laura Troth back to the team after a few spells helping out the 3s, we couldn’t give her much exposure to the ball! By the time the whistle blew, Fylde were entirely in Preston’s half having worked very hard and seen the results of their efforts.
A 6-0 win was a great end to a tough game in which everyone worked incredibly hard. Some may wonder if coach Sharron Bolton predicted the outcome as she came armed with homemade cakes to celebrate. Fylde 4s have moved to a much more comfortable middle of the table and continue to improve.
Leyland & Chorley 2 3-0 Fylde 5
Three big things happened on Saturday:
• We finally had some defenders back!
• Faye Jackson had the game of her life.
• We caused an upset against Leyland & Chorley 2s.
A shivering 5s team began warming up while Fran reminded us that Leyland had averaged over six goals a game this season. We braced for some clinical attacking play, and after winning the toss, got to work.
From the start, we faced a strong, physical side eager to test our young team. It was hard to push up the pitch before being forced back to defend, but Leyland hadn’t accounted for the return of our dream defensive duo - Megan Eccles and Sienna Kitson. Despite our effort, they found the back of the net.
We pushed back with Niamh Smith and Hattie Tollerson battling in midfield, working the ball wide, but were met with a wall of red shirts. Just before halftime, Leyland grabbed another goal, despite valiant defending from Heather Appleyard and Jasmine Stirrup.
After a much-needed halftime break (and some leftover Halloween sweets), we went again. A slow start soon turned around thanks to Evie Green, who refused to let anyone past her. Her energy lifted the team, with Bella Carroll and Eleanor Bullough driving forward in attack, with Matilda Thompson close behind - determined to break their defence.
Birdie Singleton and Lola Cooper combined well down the line, taking on two-on-one challenges. We did concede a lucky deflection from a short corner, but after spending most of the half defending a relentless barrage, we couldn’t complain. Dawn Peruzza even took a hit to the hand in the chaos but kept on defending fiercely.
In the final minutes, Faye Jackson was unstoppable - charging down 6 foot opponents and standing firm against their tactical attacking play.
The 5s played brilliantly this week. All the hard work and teamwork from training showed. We denied a strong side multiple scoring chances, and I couldn’t be prouder of everyone for digging deep and showing real grit. Let’s keep that attitude going!
Garstang Development 8-0 Fylde 6 Development
Fylde 6 Development team found themselves truly tested against a more experienced Garstang side. Isabella Hill bravely played her first debut match unphased by the strength of the opposition.
The first half score did not reflect the battle from the whole team which did create 3 chances on goal from a determined forward line of Freya Wood, Imogen Todd and Esme Bradley. However Fylde were 4-0 down at the end of the first half.
After a positive team talk from Bernie reflecting on the positive play from this young team, Fylde went out again and fielded a stronger defensive line with goal keeper Cora Sweeny, Claire Taylor, Carrena Leventon and Farzana Choudhury thwarting many more potential opportunities.
The midfield of Ruby Roberts, Isabella Hill, Julie Knowles worked tirelessly to create further opportunities for Freya Wood, Imogen Todd and Esme Bradley with the closest goal coming from Julie Knowles being rescued on the line by a Garstang defender.
Not to be deterred the team battled on but the final score 8-0 left the Fylde team with lots to be proud of and to learn from.
Clitheroe Blackburn Northern Development 4-4 Fylde 1
Fylde Men had to wait all day for their game away in Blackburn starting in twilight and ending in pitch black underneath floodlights. As they were playing CBN’s development team, Fylde focussed on maximising the pitch time of the six under-16’s available, with the seven remaining 40+ oldies* playing a supporting role. Unfortunately most of Blackburn’s developing juniors were still on their half-term holidays.
*with the exception of the captain who’s “only” 30
It was a tight first quarter with chances at both ends, although Fylde looked more likely to score. The second quarter saw Blackburn strengthen their team with several 1st team players freshly back from their afternoon game in Preston, but despite this it was Fylde who scored the first goal. Charlie Oliver dribbled into the D at the top and got a shot away towards goal, which Sam Asquith was able to direct into the goal past the keeper.
This seemed to anger Blackburn who really pushed through the midfield with their skilful players, and whilst the Fylde defence generally made a good job at keeping them at bay, there was a small error which let a young striker run unopposed into the D and able to pick his spot away from the oncoming goalkeeper Craig Nutter.
1-1 at half-time with Fylde knowing there were in a real battle against a team desperate to win. The strongest Blackburn line-up managed to score 3 times in the 3rd quarter, using their skill, pace and scoring accuracy to full effect for a 4-1 lead.
Fylde were somewhat frustrated but kept on fighting for another goal of their own as the game went into the final quarter, and Blackburn reverted to their weaker original line-up. Attacks came down both flanks, and from the left Sam Asquith crossed the ball, with Will van Rijn waiting at the back post for a tap-in. 4-2 behind with barely ten minutes to go.
More attacks, including the defenders, Paul Thomson on the right flank, Phil Weir and Schalk De Wet through the middle, and Henry Brogden on the left flank. Captain Richard Clarke was helping all around the pitch, and dribbling around the D. Another goal after a scramble within the D, involving several players, but it was Will van Rijn who was on hand again to make the decisive hit of the ball into the goal.
4-3 with just minutes remaining of the match, could a famous comeback be on? Fylde certainly thought so, pushing at every opportunity. One last effort with Oli van Rijn passing the ball to his father Tim, rushing into the D and striking the ball at pace, and screaming with delight at the sound of the backboard being hit.
4-4 and the next sound was the final whistle. Fylde celebrated the draw as if points were at stake (they weren’t as results against development teams don’t count towards the league table), but they were mightily proud of their three-goal comeback.
The illuminated scoreboard shone 4-4 against the darkness around the pitch, and both teams then mixed and chatted over a picnic of butties and sausage rolls in the corner of the pitch.
Will van Rijn was voted Man of the Match for his important two goals.
Comments