Match Reports 19 Sep 2026
A winning start to the season for both the Ladies 1's and Men's 1's as well as the Ladies 2's
Fylde 1 3-0 Kirkby Stephen 1
Fylde Ladies 1s made the perfect start to their National League campaign on Saturday, securing a convincing 3–0 victory over Kirkby Stephen at Mill Farm.
From the first whistle, Fylde set the tempo, putting Kirkby Stephen under immediate pressure. The early pressure soon told when Jessica Wharton received the ball inside the D. Wharton dribbled around the Kirkby defenders with ease before calmly slotting the ball into the goal to give Fylde the lead.
Kirkby looked to hit back on the counter, but Fylde's defence remained organised and resolute. Vicky Rukin led the defensive unit, repeatedly cutting out Kirkby's attacks.
Grace McGarvey, Jasmine Carey and Lisa Perry won the midfield battle, calmly retaining possession and creating opportunities for the Fylde forwards. Up front, Sophia Melling made her National League debut and immediately made her presence felt. Her pace and determination caused the Kirkby defence plenty of problems throughout the game.
Despite creating a number of chances, Fylde had to wait until the 52nd minute to double their advantage. Sophia Murray picked out Nicky Kellett with a well-weighted pass down the line, allowing Kellett to drive into the circle. Her initial shot was saved by the Kirkby goalkeeper, but Kellett reacted quickest, winning the ball back before firing a reverse hit into the goal to make it 2–0.
Kirkby struggled to contain Fylde's attacking threat, and the third goal followed soon after. Rukin produced an excellent threaded pass straight through the Kirkby team to find Kellett inside the D. In typical Kellett style, she took the ball past two defenders with ease before unleashing a powerful strike into the back of the goal to put Fylde firmly in control at 3–0.
It was a standout attacking display from Kellett, whose two goals and overall performance earned her Player of the Match honours. Fylde saw out the game comfortably to claim all three points and begin their National League campaign with an impressive home victory.
Fylde 2 5-2 Bowdon 3
A Winning Start to the Season! 💚
After plenty of hard work during pre-season and with a new-look squad, Fylde Ladies 2s headed into their first match feeling confident in their preparation. New coach Sharon’s message was clear: “We have the skills, we know what’s expected of us, we just need to do it!”
Both teams started strongly, with Bowdon creating early chances and putting pressure on the Fylde defence. However, Sophie Slawson in goal and a determined defensive unit stood firm, keeping Bowdon at bay despite some excellent attacking play from the visitors.
As Fylde settled into the game, the pressure began to build at the other end. After a few short corners that didn’t quite come off, Holly Farquharson found the back of the net with the final touch from a corner to mark her return to hockey after a year away having her family! 💚
Bowdon were rattled, and Fylde took full advantage. Great switching of play from Sally Livesey and some excellent passing connections created more opportunities, with Fylde Ladies 2s debutant Donna Hurd making a strong run into the D and unleashing a reverse shot that may or may not have taken a slight deflection! They all count! 😂
2–0 at half time, and a well-deserved lead.
The second half continued in much the same way, with Fylde creating chances and showing fantastic determination to win the ball and be first to everything. Goal number three came from another well-rehearsed short corner, with a perfectly executed disguised sweep from Chelsea Atkinson finding Dawn Child, who arrived at exactly the right moment to deflect the ball past the keeper. 👏
More short corners followed, and Phoebe Bolton unleashed her signature drag flick. It wasn’t quite what she had planned, but with a little help from Holly Farquharson, it still ended up in the back of the net! 4–0!
Bowdon weren’t going away, though, and some lovely linked play down the right saw them pull one back from a deflected back-post finish. Shortly afterwards, Fylde were caught out of position, allowing Bowdon to score again from a baseline ball. 4–2.
A few calming words from Dawn Child helped Fylde reset, refocus and get their heads back in the game.
And then came Camila Wyles’ moment of brilliance! 💥 Her trademark tomahawk finally found the back of the net, leaving Bowdon wondering what they could possibly do to stop it. The answer? Nothing! 😎
🏑 Full-time: Fylde Ladies 2s 5–2 Bowdon 3s 🏑
A fantastic start to the season, with the new-look squad showing great skill, determination, teamwork and plenty of attacking flair. Five goals, a brilliant team effort and a coach who was pretty happy with us too! 💚
What a way to start the season! 👏💚
Fylde 3 0-4 Clwb Hoci Eirias 1
Fylde 3s headed into their first league game of the season knowing it would be a tough challenge. After last season’s promotion, the team has moved up a division with a completely new squad, but the girls went into the game with a strong mindset and a determination to work hard for one another.
The first half saw the 3s looking to move the ball around and maintain possession, which created some promising attacking opportunities. Unfortunately, despite getting into some good positions, Fylde were unable to convert their chances. With lots of new players joining the squad from different clubs, communication was also a key focus, with the girls working hard to keep the pitch loud and begin building connections with one another.
Despite Fylde’s efforts, the Welsh side managed to capitalise on their opportunities and score two well-executed goals before half time. Going into the break, the girls were disappointed with the scoreline but remained positive, with the whole team contributing ideas on how they could improve and create more opportunities to get themselves back into the game.
The second half saw Fylde absorb a lot of pressure, but the girls showed great resilience and worked hard as a defensive unit to deal with it. For the majority of the half, they defended well, working together to clear the ball up the pitch and relieve the pressure. Unfortunately, the opposition managed to add another two goals to their tally.
Although the girls were disappointed with the final result, there are plenty of positives to take away from the game. With a new team, a new division and lots of players still getting to know each other, the 3s showed great determination, communication and togetherness throughout. There is plenty to build on from this first game, and the girls will take these lessons forward as they continue to develop and grow as a team over the coming weeks.
Fylde 4 2-2 Brookfield 1
Following a restructure to the league, Fylde 4s found themselves with a half promotion as along with the top half of last year’s final table, they joined 4 Cumbria teams to form a new division. The first game of the season was against Brookfield 1s whom last year, the 4s were unable to beat despite best efforts. The Brookfield side bring plenty of experienced, fit adults and set the tone for the standard of hockey the 4s will see this season.
Brookfield dominated the play early on, taking advantage of the unfamiliarity of Fylde’s newly formed team with many players stepping up from the 5th team this year. Brookfield attacked strongly down the middle and found gaps in the defence to crowd the circle. Fylde fought back and cleared many balls out to the mids who provided runs up the wings. Whilst Fylde had some shots on goal, the meters gained on the pitch were short lived as Brookfield showed their experience, intercepting play and driving for the circle. A neat pass into the circle saw a Brookfield player hit the ball on first touch to score their first goal. Five minutes later they repeated their effort and Fylde went two nil down. Heads started to drop but the team continued to defend well against the adult team and cleared a number of short corners preventing anymore goals before the whistle.
The half time talk with coach Sharron and manager Zoe focussed on tighter marking and pressing. It clearly did the trick as a very different second half was about the commence! With renewed determination, Fylde set out stronger and immediately stepped up as Brookfield took the first pushback. Within a couple of passes, Fylde had intercepted the ball and made it into Brookfield’s circle, a much better start to the half! A few minutes later, some excellent passing around the back and up the right wing saw entry into the circle. Alice Bunday’s cross was deflected by a defender onto the stick of Sadie Atkinson, who calmly pushed a precise ball past the keeper.
The heads were definitely back up and Fylde took confidence from getting a goal on the scoresheet. More runs down the wings and higher pressing saw a completely different game being played, Fylde’s game. On a quick break through the midfield, Brookfield went on to win another penalty corner, which Fylde promptly cleared. A new attack saw a free hit given at half way, taken by Evie Bromley who has stepped into the position of centre back. Evie drove the ball up past the 23 and passed into the circle where Alyssa Woodman picked up the ball, pulled the keeper to the left and neatly dribbled the ball back right to deliver the ball into the net. The intensity only increased from Fylde as the determination for a win only grew. Despite full effort from the whole test, the final whistle blew on a well deserved draw.
An immensely pleasing first game for the 4s, with a draw feeling like a win and showing that this young side (with maybe one exception…) is capable of taking on their new division.
Garstang 2 4-0 Fylde 5
The first game back for the Fylde 5's in a new division, due to promotion last year. A group that was unfamiliar playing together but still gave all their effort. Fylde 5's started their season off in Garstang against their second team with coach Fran Loffler-Thompson supporting on the pitch this weekend in the midfield, holding Garstang strongly, supported by Ruby Roberts and Lola Cooper.
Garstang arrived with a mix of young and experienced players which Fylde’s youthful team managed to hold for the first 20 minutes. Unfortunately, Garstang broke through our defence and made the score 1-0.
Fylde still continued to put all effort in, especially Elizabeth Porter, Player of the Match, in left back not letting Garstang through to the goal. Fylde fought back with having chances in our attacking half but didn't manage to execute them on Saturday. Garstang finished the half with a 2-0 lead.
In the second half, Fylde reset and still managed to keep possession of the ball until Garstang broke in between us to lead 3-0. Finishing the second half with all of Fylde behind the half way line to defend. Unfortunately, Garstang scored one more goal which Fylde couldn't clear, finishing the game at a 4-0 win to Garstang 2nd.
Captain Leah Richmond was pleased with the team’s performance but knew there was work to do on the training ground!
Clitheroe Blackburn Northern Development P-P Fylde 6
Postponed
Keswick 2 1-3 Fylde 1
Fylde Men started their season in Division 3N following promotion with their furthest away trip, the 200 mile round trip to Cockermouth to play Keswick 2’s.
With the bulk of last year’s squad available there was a debut for young goalkeeper Joe O’Brien and the first game in almost 5 years for the returning Duke Jones and Luke Cosgrove.
Fylde started the brighter with some good moving and passing but couldn’t quite put the finishing touches on any attacks. Keswick attacks were rare and easily snuffed out to begin with.
The longer the half went on, the more dangerous Keswick became, and Joe O’Brien pulled off a great diving save to keep the scores even. Fylde finally opened up the scoring from a great run of play, starting with Simon Holt clearing from defence with a long ball up to striker Harry Gordon, who instead of keeping possession, as the closest defender expected, reverse stick passed forward for Charlie Oliver to run onto on the right wing, and then enter the D with just the goalkeeper to beat, and with a clever bounce of the ball eluded him and reserve struck the ball into the goal.
Halftime came with Fylde 1-0 ahead, but they knew they should have scored more, so set out with purpose in the second half. They quickly won a short corner, from which a poor execution left captain Luke Hitchen to take a straight strike, which somehow went at snail’s pace, confusing the goalkeeper who mistimed his kick leaving the ball to roll slowly over the goal-line. But they all count!
Harry Gordon took Fylde to a 3-0 lead with some skill inside the D slotting the ball into the corner of the goal. At this point Fylde were dominating possession with young legs running into spaces and some great skills on show.
Keswick scored a consolation goal midway through the second half, and had some dangerous attacks, but Fylde never really looked in trouble and finished the game happy with an inaugural win.
Henry Brogden was voted Man of the Match for a combination of his defensive play at left back coupled with aiding the attacks down the left wing.
Clitheroe Blackburn Northern 4 Devt 2-0 Fylde 2 Devt
Friendly
At the end of the game there was only one thing to say – well done Fylde 2s you may have lost the game, but you won the match morally!
The 1st game for our team which consisted of 6 boys under the age of 14 was a great success against a very experienced CBN team who included 5 first team men’s players for nearly the whole game. In contrast the Fylde team had at least 6 boys on the whole game and gave debuts to 4 new players – 2 of whom were teenagers themselves.
The game itself was quite cagey – CBN had more of the ball in the 1st half but Fylde were comfortable out of possession and dangerous on the break with the Rowe brothers particularly effective. In defence, Mark Smith and Harry Barlow were controlled and there was only really one clear cut chance for CBN but Ethan Morris made a wonderful save when closing down a CBN attacker. At the other end, Evan Allday was able to get a shot off on a penalty corner but put it too close to the keeper despite making good contact with the ball. At the end of the half, the score was a very creditable 0-0 with CBN realising they were in a game!
In the 2nd half, Fylde were even more positive and tried to take the game to CBN. The whole team put in a massive shift and had a number of circle entries without overly extending the CBN GK. With about 25 minutes to go, CBN scored their 1st goal at a penalty corner which was awarded mistakenly (the CBN bench was quick to say there was no foot from Jamie Rowe as he closed down an attacker). After this goal, the young Fylde team regrouped with the help of the more experienced players (including Tim and Ollie Van Rijn from the bench) and again troubled the CBN rearguard without perfecting the execution of their attempts. With 10 minutes to go, player 66 tried to bust the net, and fortunately beat Ethan Morris to his right with power rather than finesse!
The rest of the game was quite open with attacks by both teams, and the game became stretched as the players tired. At the final whistle there was genuine, deserved praise from the CBN team towards the Fylde team.
With thanks to the whole Fylde team for their understanding and determination today – you should be very proud of your efforts and also a mention for CBN who picked a strong team but played in a good spirit and were supportive of both sets of young players. Finally, thanks to the umpires for their understanding of the game and for the supporters and parents who brought the team!
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