Didsbury Northern 1 1-1 Fylde 1
Saturday 25th Fylde played Didsbury away, with a quick start to the game and many circle entries from Fylde which eventually resulted in a short corner. A quick injection and drag from the top, left a rebounded, floating ball , which was struck into the back on the net by Pru Lindsey.
The 2nd quarter was back and forth as Didsbury were ready for quick counter attacks, but Fylde held strong, leaving the quarter with no goals conceded after defending multiple short corners, a strong performance from Captain, Anya Jackson.
Moving onto the 3rd quarter, Didsbury had another breakthrough counter attack, which lead to a shot from the top D, unfortunately resulting in a goal. Taking the sore to 1-1.
As both teams wore out, the game was back and forth, however Fylde containing most of the possession, many shots on goal, and good skills through the middle from Flor Zapulla, the ball just couldn’t reach the back of the net. The game concluded with a 1-1 score line.
Fylde 2 1-1 Lancaster University 1
Saturday 25th Feb was the second game of the season for Fylde and Lancaster Uni, this time with slightly better weather conditions (i.e. minus the heavy downpour). With the chance of promotion on the horizon Fylde had a positive mindset and meant business. We aimed to implement what we practiced in training and the first half didn't disappoint (maybe it was the spag bol for breakfast Liv).
Passes were strong and connected well up the pitch from defence to midfield to the forwards. Dominating the game, Fylde had almost all the possession (86% to be exact) which led to the first goal of the match - a cheeky deflection from Olivia John-Haslam. The team continued to work hard and earned a few short corners and shots at goal but Lancaster managed to defend them to maintain Fylde's 1-0 lead at half time.
The second half felt like a different game with Lancaster stepping up, linking passes and making quick breaks from defence. A combination of tired legs and a 'baggy' formation from Fylde allowed Lancaster a few shots on goal but no chance were they getting past Katie Barker. A fantastic diving save was made from a shot to the right followed by a save off the left hand pad - agility at its finest.
Lancaster continued their attack and towards the end of the second half a controversial flick was awarded and successfully converted by Lancaster. Fylde kept their heads high and continued to battle but were unable to change the final score. The game ended 1-1; if only Mill Farm had VAR. The fight for promotion continues...
Pendle Forest 3 4-0 Fylde 4
We played well, they played better! The experienced side of Pendle went ahead in the first 5 mins from open play. Fylde came together just couldn’t convert their chances with a few near misses, the Pendle keeper was on form!
After half time Pendle took an early goal followed by 2 more. The team finished deflated but should be proud of the improvement in the last few weeks for which coach Jay is trying to take credit 🤔 Jess Egan had great communication and vision from defence. Sophia ‘player 45’ Murray showed her stick skills and was complimented by the opposition umpire after the match. Abbie Warburton drove forward using players around her to beat opponents and is becoming more confident. Our keeper described herself as a traffic cone but we reminded her that the ball goes through 10 players first!
Fingers crossed for a much needed win next week at Mill Farm- we’d welcome lots of supporters to cheer us on! Final score 4-0 Player of the match Abbie Warburton.
Fylde 6 1-0 Lancaster & Morecambe 3
With some last minute changes to the team, Fylde were pleased to walk onto the pitch with a full eleven. Lancaster & Morecambe had brought ten players with them but this wasn’t a chance to be complacent.
Lancaster & Morecambe won the toss and took the first push back decisively so Fylde were straight to action. Once again, we choose to play a high centre mid position which helped support attacking play. With Clare Bennett directing the defence, Lauren Perkin and Grace Lord worked well to move the ball around the back. Issy Gut in the middle was able to intercept many of the oppositions passes and progress the ball out wide to both left and right. Poppy Milligan made several strong runs down the right wing, regularly reaching the baseline but not quite rewarded for her efforts. After a lot of back and forth play between the sides, one of Poppy’s runs found Evie Finnegan in the circle who promptly slipped it into the net. Once again, her absolute shock ensued and gave us a little boost before half time!
Ellie Hope and Tilly Tomlinson worked well on the left, where Sophia Gough on her debut was diligently waiting by the post for an opportunity.
After half time, Fylde started to feel the lack of subs that we had been treated to for the last couple of games, and Nikki Richmond for one was starting to tire! However, Lancaster & Morecambe didn’t give up and neither did Fylde. After a move of positions, Sophia Gough joined the defence and Lauren Perkin displayed good skills in the midfield, helping bolster the attack. Fran Loffler-Thompson kept us out of trouble in goal when needed as Lancaster & Morecambe made the occasional break towards our circle. Whilst Fylde dominated the opposition’s circle, more goals were elusive. A number of short corners also didn’t profit but very pleased with a 1-0 win and continued effort by a young side.
Fylde 2 4-3 Lancaster & Morecambe 2
The Men's 2's carried on their recent run of form, unbeaten in 5 matches, with a well fought 4-3 win against Lancaster & Morecambe 2's.
The team started brightly, immediately putting pressure on Lancaster, and an interception led to a pass into the D to Bertie Jones who rounded a defender and slipped the ball back across to find Phil Hope who made no mistake in smashing the ball into the net.
After ten minutes of almost continuous pressure, Lancaster had a rare break into Fylde's half and managed to win a short corner. They took it quickly, although not as quick as Connor McClelland's break from the goal-line apparently, so he was sent to the halfway line and the corner retaken. Lancaster cleverly used the slip and with no one running to cover it, they had a straight strike at an angle that Fylde couldn't stop, back to 1-1.
It was Fylde's turn to score again minutes afterwards, with Luke Hitchen receiving the ball at the top of the D and letting off an unstoppable reverse strike with precision accuracy.
2-1 and seemingly on top, Fylde started to lose shape as they rotated their subs, and Lancaster came back into the game. After a goal mouth scramble, a shot on goal was stopped by a Fylde foot and a penalty stroke awarded, which was dispatched to level the scores again, at 2-2.
Fylde regrouped at half-time with determination to take a grip on the game, with Phil Weir and Chris Dunkerley marshalling the midfield, and it wasn't long before a short corner was won by Bertie Jones cleverly finding an opposition foot whilst in the D. Phil Hope took the initial shot at pace, and Andy Lund, who'd come into the near post after injecting, batted the ball into the goal, in what looked like a well-practiced drill, but can't have been as the 2's never practice short corners.
Fylde made it 4-2 midway through the second half, with a move that started with the ball being passed between the Fylde defenders, with Andy Lund pivoting around, and unleashing right back Scott Versterre on a run down the wing. He offloaded to James Yates, in his return to the club after several years away, and found Phil Hope in the D with only the goalkeeper to beat. He went to his left around the outstretched keeper and then reverse hit into the goal behind.
With a two goal lead, Fylde relaxed, only for Lancaster to score yet again, this time from an aerial across the field in Fylde's half, which bounced awkwardly and a Lancaster striker was able to get a stick on towards the goal and away from the advancing Craig Nutter who was wrong-footed by it.
Back to a single goal advantage, Fylde were able to manage their substitutions more carefully than the first half, keeping their shape and continuing with the high energy passing. They looked the more likely to score again and in control of the game, only to concede a short corner in the final minute, with the whistle blowing, meaning the whole Lancaster team could surround the D for the set-piece. Luckily Connor McClelland's speed from the line stopped any shot coming in, and the match ended 4-3 to Fylde.
Phil Hope was awarded Man of the Match and the team now sit in 5th place in the division on equal points with next week's opponents Preston 5's.
Junior Girls
Fylde U12 Girls beat Preston 6-0 in the final of the In2Hockey Lancashire round to be crowned Lancashire champions, and both teams go on to represent the county in the regional finals on 23rd April.
Fylde U14 Girls beat Carlisle and Wigton in the EH Tier 2 championships convincingly without conceding a goal, in a dominant display against very young opposition. They progress to the regional semi-finals next Sunday 5th March.