Match Reports 27 Sep 2025
- Peter Latimer
- Sep 29
- 9 min read
Both the Ladies 3 and Ladies 5 win their 3rd game in a row, and the Men have also won both of their 2 first games.
Alderley Edge 1 1-0 Fylde 1
Fylde Ladies 1st Team travelled to Alderley Edge this weekend and put in a strong performance in a narrow 0–1 defeat.
The visitors started brightly, moving the ball well around the back, this early composure created a couple of chances for Fylde to take the lead, but the home side held firm.
Alderley Edge made the breakthrough in the 28th minute, converting from a penalty corner to edge ahead.
Fylde responded positively, stepping up the intensity in the second half. Vicky Rukin controlled play from the back, spreading the ball intelligently and linking well with Nicky Kellett and Jess Wharton, who both created chances and forced saves from the Alderley Edge goalkeeper.
Despite sustained pressure in the final two quarters, Fylde were unable to find the equaliser before the final whistle.
Although disappointed not to come away with points, Fylde can take plenty of positives from a well-organised and hard-fought display. They will look to turn performance into results next week when they welcome Newcastle University to Mill Farm, aiming to secure their first three points of the season.
Preston 1 2-4 Fylde 2
Fylde had a strong team to take to Preston, although a few niggles and some poorly players could have resulted in a long afternoon. However that couldn’t be further from reality.
Both teams started strongly with end to end play, although it was Preston that tested Fylde’s goal first. Defence stood strong together with help from mids to drive the ball out up the pitch. With our determination to execute what LT had asked of us, it started to pay off. Some excellent wide play to hit the top forwards results in the first short corner of the match. Beautifully put out and trapped at the top, for EJ Dunkerley to strike and find a gap between keeper and defenders 1-0.
This seemed to give Preston a boost, they started finding gaps of their own in the middle. Fylde needed to get tighter, however the girls didn’t quite manage to get this together quick enough and a long ball though found a two on one scene, Preston forward was calm and put the ball in levelling the score! 1-1.
With a few bits of direction from LT, Fylde do manage to sort out how positioning and started to dominate the rest of the first half. Getting the ball wide again away for danger and some excellent personal skills saw Jasmine Smith one on one with the keeper, no contest, straight in the back of the net, 2-1.
A positive half time talk from LT to just keep doing what we did in the first half but tighten up the middle!
That’s exactly what we did, Fylde continued to dominate the play, really concentrating on the wide play to hit the forwards on the top line! This continued to pay off with more short corners being won, these were working well this week, and brought our 3rd goal this time from a deflection from Dawn Child. 3-1.
Preston struggled to get the ball out past our press, and we started winning the ball higher and higher up the pitch! More short corners saw our 4th goal disallowed as deemed to hit a Fylde foot! Another short corner won but broken down by Preston who went on a fast break, and for the first time in the match some awful marking saw a free Preston forward on the top of the Fylde D, the ball got to her and she was able to score Preston’s 2nd. 3-2.
Fylde had to keep their concentration and needed to dig deep to ensure they continued to follow the ‘plan’. The last 10 minutes saw a last push from Fylde, more success down the left with some super individual skill from Chelsea Atkinson linking perfectly with Emma Savidge who stayed calm and put the ball past the Preston keeper. Final score 4-2, well deserved!
Ulverston South Lakes 1 1-5 Fylde 3
Despite Fylde 3s missing half of their usual squad to the annual Millfield trip, thankfully Sara Tomlinson, Aimee Jennings, Isla Carter, Heather Appleyard and Laura Troth stepped up from the 4s to give them a helping hand, Victoria Latham also heroically came back from University to help the team out, as well as Fylde 3s usual goal keeper Emily Byers stepping up the pitch to centre forward.
Fylde started off strong with some great passing around the back, switching it from side to side whilst mixing in some triangles amongst this in the early stages of the match. After 6 minutes of play, Abbie Warburton dribbled the ball around the Ulverston midfield in the centre of the pitch and passed to Emily Byers who was waiting on the Penalty spot, and secured Fylde’s first goal.
Ulverston managed to gain a short corner not long after Fylde’s first goal however Lauren Appleyard ensured that Ulverston wouldn’t gain anything from it and defended Fylde’s D brilliantly by clearing the ball wide which she continued to do throughout the game. Fylde then gained a short corner of their own and with a clever, well worked routine, Olivia John-Haslam slotted home Fylde’s second goal of the match.
Florence Worden also impressed with some well-timed tackles down the right, while Sara Tomlinsom and Aimee Jennings battled superbly upfront, constantly putting Ulverston under pressure. There were many fantastic long balls played to Emily Byers from Lydia Hayhurst in the central midfield position as well as a great reverse hit from OJH on the right hand side however Ulverston’s goal keeper managed to guard the goal until halftime.
Fylde maintained their strong structure going into the second half with Abbie Warburton, Lydia Hayhurst and OJH making sure nothing got through that midfield line. Two minutes into the second half the ball was passed to Emily Byers in the D and she rolled the ball around the keeper and managed to score with a swift movement, giving her, her second goal of the match. Despite being 3-0 down Ulverston didn’t give up and did obtain a few chances in the D however Lauren Appleyard, Isla Carter and Victoria Lathum kept calmy retrieving the ball from Fylde’s D and gained back possession ready for Fylde to attack.
Fylde’s 4th goal was scored in the 60th minute which came from a pass from the top of the D by Abbie Warburton to Lydia Hayhurst at the back post who smacked it in to the back of the goal. It was only five minutes later when persistent tackling and battling from Lydia Hayhurst led to her second goal from a strike at the top of the D giving Fylde a 5-0 lead. Ulverston came back with a goal in the last five minutes of the pitch however Fylde didn’t let this affect them and they managed to secure the win at 5-1.
This was a great win for Fylde 3s, keeping them at the top of the table going into game week 4. The whole team played amazingly his week however Lydia Hayhurst secured player of the match due to her strong performance as well as adding two goals onto the scoreline.
Fylde 4 0-1 Clitheroe Blackburn Northern 2
On Saturday the Ladies 4’s team played Clitheroe Blackburn and had a great game with an unlucky score line.
In the first half Fylde started strong with good passing and a few attempts on goal. Several penalty corners were won but Fylde were unable to convert. Camilla Wyles was fouled resulting in a penalty flick which she stepped up to take with skill but was saved by a confident keeper. Fylde welcomed Izzy Thompson who slotted in as a screen and quickly make an impact.
The defence played especially well with long balls being passed through from Zoe Kirkham, Izzy Thompson, Evie Dunne and Evie Bromley to the forwards to attack. There was some good midfield play from Alys Williams and Izzy Thompson and later Sadie Atkinson on her debut for 4s. Emily Finney had some lovely stick skills and captain Nikki Richmond put in a strong performance.
Fylde and Clitheroe were neck and neck until CBN scored a goal 5 minutes into the second half. Fylde battled well trying to pull a goal back especially Camilla Wyles who had some strong shots on goal with a goal being disallowed from a reverse strike during a penalty corner. Goalkeeper Emily Byers had some superb saves and kept Fylde in the game. This was matched at the top end of the pitch with some good forward attacks from Gabriella Hopley-Sherratt, Sophia Taylor, Sadie Atkinson, Leah Richmond and Hollie Twose.
A well played game with 4s edging closer to a win.
Lancaster Nomads 2 1-9 Fylde 5
Fylde 5 recorded the best club result of the day with a thumping 9-1 win over Lancaster Nomads 2!
This season their opposition now face the reality of not being able to double-up players, as their 1st Team gained promotion last season, and they do not have a junior base. Fylde fielded three adults and eleven juniors and player/coach Fran Loffler-Thompson seized her opportunity for ten minutes action when three of the younger players dashed off for a toilet visit with only ten minutes to spare! Hopefully a lesson learnt as they returned to sideline duties on the starting whistle!
Fylde were 5-1 up by half time, with five different scorers! Mary-Kate Pardon-Gallagher, Sophia Appleyard, Alyssa Woodman, Niamh Smith and Eleanor Bullough all showing skill and aggression in front of goal.
Alyssa took time out after colliding with a less than respectful goalkeeper but was determined to seek revenge in the second half!
Alyssa Woodman and Eleanor Bullough then added two more each in the second half to give them both deserved hat tricks!
All goals came from open play as the youngsters sliced through the opposition, gently guided in the art of structure and discipline by Dawn Perruzza, Fran Loffler-Thompson and Tiana Moseley.
Fylde 5 sit comfortably at the top of the table with three consecutive wins from three varying teams. Strength in depth is a positive sign for future success.
Player of the Match: Eleanor Bullough.
Fylde 6 Development 1-2 Leyland & Chorley 3
On Saturday Fylde fielded a ladies 6 development team including a mix of adults and youngsters. We met Leyland and Chorley’s 3rd team, and played a home match in the sunshine.
Some excellent play in the first half resulted in a goal from Fylde, with some lovely linked play ending in a strong goal from Poppy Benson, putting in to practise the coaching tips from Sharon and Nikki.
The midfield worked tirelessly with some lovely runs and composed play from Penny Atkinson, Olivia Branthwaite and Ruby Roberts.
The goalkeeper Cora Sweeney made some superb saves with some strong defending from Carrena Leverton, Faz Choudhury, Ava Lovell and Clare Taylor and special mention goes to Amelie Horabin for a particularly good game and coming to the rescue multiple times.
The second half saw some excellent opportunities for the attackers with Matilda Thompson having some strong shots at goal saved by an impressive keeper. Julie Knowles showed her skill as left wing.
Fylde were unlucky during the second half with the away team scoring two goals from short corners.
Fylde 1 3-1 Garstang Development
Fylde Men had a reduced squad of 13 on the morning of their game, with several regulars missing, but then had two late withdrawals leaving a bare 11 to face the 16-strong visiting Garstang development team. There were debuts given to Henry Brogden, in a unfamiliar position at right back, and Joseph Shepherd who partnered upfront with captain for the day Jay Mayne.
Garstang started the better of the two teams, deploying a well drilled press, allowing the Fylde defence to pass round the back but not find an easy outlet. This then led to a couple of hairy moments when poor passes were intercepted close to the D and half-chances for Garstang. They then followed through with more attacking opportunities and won some short corners, from one they managed to score from a deflection off a straight strike.
Fylde didn’t panic and started to keep possession better although it was a defensive mistake from Garstang that let Fylde back into the game. Trying to play the ball out from the back, Jay Mayne was able to dispossess a defender, enter the D, and launch a shot past the goalkeeper.
More Fylde attacks followed, with the whole team passing and playing together. Simon Holt went on a solo dribble from midfield to the top of the D, slotting the ball to the bye-line where Jay Mayne was waiting, and able to flick the ball above Stephen Pope the goalkeeper, with the two of them ending up tangled on the floor and the ball in the back of the net.
Fylde felt on top at half-time, although had to endure another full half without substitutes whereas Garstang were constantly rotating and keeping their team fresh. Fylde extended their lead early in the second half and Jay Mayne completed his hat-trick when his drag flick at a short corner was only partially parried and deflected off a defender’s stick.
The game opened out as the half progressed, but Fylde’s defence nullified most of Garstang’s attacks, and Fylde continued to attack themselves, but couldn’t quite find the final touch for more goals.
There were a couple of green cards handed out for poor tackles and unnecessary niggles, but otherwise the match was played in good nature.
Jay Mayne was voted man of the match for his hat-trick, but it was a great team performance from Fylde, especially for the two new youngsters joining the other 13-15 year olds, and very promising for the rest of the season.
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