Full set of 7 games for the club, with drama and goals galore
Didsbury Northern 1 3-0 Fylde 1
This game was closer than the score line suggested but credit to Didsbury who took the opportunities that came their way.
Fylde got off to a good start with numerous positive attacks especially down the right with Frankie Sinclair-Bruce, who linked well and created good chances. The penalty corners were opportunities Fylde couldn’t take. Didsbury grew into the game with some good passages of play and they took the lead with a quick free hit and the forward snuck in front of the Fylde defence and scored sharply.
As the half went on it was about getting back into it and taking chances but at times the lack of intensity and opportunities in front of goal were squandered!
Early in the 3rd quarter Didsbury took advantage through the middle of umpire decisions and the run of the ball as Katie Barker was left exposed to goals that saw the game head in Didsbury’s direction!
The 4th quarter was about pride and looking to get something from the game. The intensity improved but with over 10 circle entries and solid defending from Didsbury the goal couldn’t be penetrated.
We go again next week in the home game v Leeds.
Fylde 2 4-4 Preston 1
Derby match today, did not disappoint. Fylde starting strong, holding possession and playing triangles up the wings. Natalie Smith steaming ahead into the D and converting her 1st opportunity into a goal.
Preston soon equalised and we saw the advantage again when Olivia John-Haslam put us in front with the 2nd. We dominated with EJ Dunkerley leading from the back, Lucy Wane linking up with Sally Livesey and Jade Mottley up the wings and Amelia Hatton powering through the middle. Nat confidently and skilfully holding the ball and driving it forward finding Chelsea Atkinson and Emma Savidge. Down the left Keira Tomes working hard with Amelia and OJH to get the ball onto the back line creating lots of composed chances and winning short corners. Preston equalised so the score at HT was 2-2.
Second half Preston got an early short corner which Fylde answered with 2 team goals in quick succession passing all the way up the pitch for Emma Savidge and Olivia John-Haslam to bring us back in front once again. Fylde picked up the pace and press to keep possession, Frankie making lots of runs but got carded for a heavy tackle determined to win us the ball. Preston came back with lots of counter attacks but lots of saves were made and Sally made a save on the line.
After defending really well together, they got a short corner ending the game 4-4. A great effort to reflect during the game that we needed to step up the tempo but keep the ball to claim a point or 3.
Chorley Phoenix 1 3-0 Fylde 3
The frost disappeared, the sun shone but it was a disappointing result for Ladies 3’s with their very early 10am start! This was probably the normal routine for our young side and they played some good hockey against another experienced senior team.
Chorley Phoenix’s best goal was gifted to them from some indecisive defending but a hard clean strike looped into the corner beyond Freya Davis-Nunnick’s reach. 1-0 down at half time.
The team started strongly in the second half but despite the amount of possession, shots on goal were somewhat lacking. We couldn’t convert two short corner chances and they came back with their own!
Unfortunately Sophia Murray then took a nasty stick injury to her elbow and retired hurt with a visit to A&E! That gave super sub Fran Loffler-Thompson a chance of action but she could not make a difference, apart from raising the average age of the team!
The game ebbed away with two more opposition goals and the young team came away disappointed but learning from every defeat!
Fylde 4 3-3 Southport 2
It was a lovely sunny afternoon at Mill Farm when Fylde 4s faced Southport for their second meeting of the season, the first resulting in a loss. With the knowledge that Southport were a strong side, we were prepared to work hard with 3 subs raring to go.
With Southport being a fairly physical opposition, Fylde quickly learned that we needed to play the ball around them and outdo them on pace. In the match, we gained the confidence to pass the ball around the back when necessary and this worked well between Lauren Appleyard, Megan Eccles, Evelyn So and Melissa Johnson Parker. Southport continued to press and did break through on occasion but it felt like Fylde had the edge.
Liz Johnson and Liddy Eccles worked well in midfield to get the ball to the circle but the finishes weren’t coming. On a break, Southport vigorously went for goal and scored from a single strike that Philippa Hancock did her best to reach. Having had majority possession this felt like a blow but served to make us fight back. Lucy Whiteside dribbled from halfway into the circle offering an excellent cross for Rosie Leil to tap in and that felt good! Play resumed with much of the same back and forth between teams and Southport scoring their second. Fylde defended short corners well with Philippa guiding her defence around her and Southport were denied on a number of occasions.
At half time we talked about blocking the middle and not being quite so polite to each other when a goal scoring opportunity presented itself! We restarted feeling we were very much still in the game and this was proven by a Lucy Whiteside goal not long after the pushback. The rolling subs gave us the opportunity to each give 100% on the pitch and we could see Southport starting to tire. We pushed hard and spent most of the second half in their 23. Once again, Southport managed to break through and landed another goal from the edge of the circle, something we had come to expect.
For the third time, Fylde were a goal down but this made us want it more! Lauren Appleyard stayed strong on the left to provide balls down the line to Lotti Mackay and Ellie Hope whilst Leah Richmond impressed on the right, creating 1-2s down the pitch to work the ball to the circle where Hollie Twose and Rosie Leil were waiting to pounce. And with ten minutes to go, Rosie did pounce, and delivered a spectacular reverse hit which landed top right corner of the net and met with happy screams from the dugout!
We’d drawn level and we were dominating. That last ten minutes felt both sides fight for the win and it was elusive for both of us, we ended in a 3-3 draw.
Preston 3 5-1 Fylde 5
Ladies 5th team travelled to Preston this week to play their 3rd team. The girls started confident and worked hard to move the ball down the right but Preston had a large squad and many experienced players, some who also play for their 2s in a much higher league and thwarted Fylde’s many attempts.
Fylde were not defeated, intercepting and redistributing the ball well. Never giving up. Preston made the most of any short corners awarded with well executed set pieces and despite a great deflection from Hermione Edwards, Fylde couldn’t make a come back and were 3-1 down at half time.
We sadly had to send Heather Appleyard to A&E with an injury to her finger, fortunately not broken. The team coached each other with maturity and good insight and recognised the improvements they needed to make in the second half. With better positioning and more movement they had much more opportunities but couldn’t penetrate the D. As always they fought to the very end despite another injury taking them to a flat 11. Tired and deflated they finished the game 5-1 to Preston.
Win as a team lose as a team.
Brookfield 2 1-9 Fylde 6 Development
Fylde 6’s played their best hockey of the season and defeated second-in-the table Brookfield 9-1 in a thrilling match!
The team started slowly as we tried to work out the best midfield options with five recognised strikers! Camilla Wyles was on fire once we had moved her up front and she scored the opening goal with a fearsome strike from the left which set the crowd buzzing! 1-0 at half time against a solid, experienced adult side.
Half time enabled us to plan midfield options and the team continued to dominate possession in the second half. Camilla scored a second and then Hollie Guthrie joined the party too! We then had a brief attacking spell from Brookfield from which they scored their only goal. Goalkeeper Grace Lord had rushed from a previous game to support the team and made several impressive saves during the match and was supported well with Abi Southern and new player Lois So, in her first game for Fylde, and Evie Dunne.
Isla Carter dominated the right hand side as an attacking defender and Emily Finney was controlled in the middle of the park. Goals started to rain in as the opposition tired and our team passed around and ran circles around them. Camilla scored two more, making four! Hollie Guthrie completed a hat-trick and Captain Bella Coupe-Carroll scored two more from her new midfield position. Michelle, Aimee and Jasmine were unlucky not to score but all had chances on the day.
The 9-1 score line was the best Club result this season with the girls playing attractive hockey, spreading the ball around the pitch and getting players on the posts in attacking positions. The young girls listen and learn from their player/coach Fran Loffler-Thompson, who still managed a short spell on the field to show off her skills!
Preston 6 2-3 Fylde Men
Fylde were away to Preston 6s for what turned out to be a very closely matched game. Fylde were without their usual defensive line and thus had to resort to a change in formation of a 3-2-3-2.
Fylde started the match by dominating possession and moving the ball quickly through the midfield. The first 5 minutes were dominated by Fylde, particularly where James Dobson had won the ball on the left flank, passed over to Tim Van Rijn in the middle whose through ball to Phil Hope resulted in a clinical finish for Fylde’s first goal.
It wasn't long after that, where the same play happened again, where a Van Rijn through ball was followed by another Hope goal, only this one being a more typical Hope goal, who's trademark diving deflection was skilfully placed in the roof of the net.
Fylde were showing their strength in going forward but were not so strong in the defence where a Preston counter attack had overloaded the Fylde defence and a quick one-two of passes ended with a goal making the score line 2-1.
The half time whistle blew and Fylde had to change their formation as the 3 defenders were often overloaded on the counter attacks. Reverting back to a 4-4-2, Fylde started the second half strong, with a third goal following quickly on from the restart, this time a young James Dobson finding the back of the net.
It wasn't long after that that the young Preston forwards began to push back and begin to use their pace to move beyond Fylde’s midfield. Eventually a goal was found making it 3-2.
From then on Fylde were on the back foot facing countless Preston attacks, but fortunately the attacks made were either saved by keeper Craig Nutter, cleared by the defence or shot wide. Eventually the matched finished, much to Fylde’s delight.
Fylde left the pitch with lots to think about regarding their defensive structure and game pace. Man of the match went to captain Richard Clarke, a first man of the match for him this season, but also a well deserved accolade for his tireless efforts in midfield, and debut role at CB, which were crucial in helping Fylde’s win.