Match Reports 29 Mar 2025
- Peter Latimer
- Apr 1
- 10 min read
A bumper crowd down at Mill Farm to watch the last league games of the season, witnessing 3 Ladies wins and an exciting draw, whilst the Men won their away game.
Fylde 1 4-3 Doncaster 1
This week Fylde L 1’s played their final game of the season against Doncaster at home in a thrilling hockey match that kept fans on the edge of their seats, it became a heated contest that ended with a score of 4-3 to Fylde.
Doncaster were fighting to stay in the league, whilst a point or more for Fylde would secure a 2nd place finish in the league. In the first quarter Fylde took an early lead, scoring two quick goals through Jessica Warton and Nicky Kellett, that showcased their offensive prowess. However, Doncaster fought back, managing to score a goal just before the end of the first quarter, leaving the score at 2-1.
As tensions rose, poor umpiring fuelled frustrations and there were multiple cards awarded to both teams, including a yellow to Doncaster after a physical tussle in the middle of the pitch.
Fylde continued to dominate and scored two more goals through Megan Wildish and Nicky Kellet. Doncaster managed to pull back a goal from a breakaway counterattack, and then a questionable penalty corner decision led to Doncaster scoring a third goal.
Fylde maintained composure and saw the game out to win 4-3, relegating Doncaster and securing 2nd place overall in the league, only 2 points behind Leeds at the top. A successful season for a new Fylde squad, with plenty to build on for next season.
Fylde 2 1-1 Didsbury Northern 2
The last league match day for Fylde Ladies 2 as they face one of the top-table teams in their group, Didsbury Northern 2. The expectation is for a tough final match as both teams want to finish the season with a win. A full turn out for Fylde with 16 players on the team list. Tense, but exciting minutes before the start of play. Both teams hoping for a win. Will Fylde maintain their table position or go up or down a place?
The end of March should be warmer than this. A cold easterly wind and the threat of rain sometime during play. Nonetheless, the Fans in the Stands are suitably prepared in spring artic clothing and are hoping for a successful 70 minutes of play. Today, there is a Colombian theme as the Fans in the Stands are accompanied by The Campana, a Salsa percussion bell. Will this help to spice up the final match?
The starting whistle blows at 12:15. A great start from a very confident Fylde team that applies pressure on Didsbury Northern from the push back. In the first minute, Ruby Cosgrove shoots wide across Didsbury’s goal. Olivia John-Haslam collects the ball and hits a shot at goal. It goes wide.
5 minutes into the match and Fylde have their first short corner. They take it quickly. There are so many sticks in Didsbury’s D, attacking and defending. No shot on for Fylde. The play so far all in Didsbury’s half.
The first real threat from Didsbury, they make a quick dash through Fylde’s mid-field. Sophia Murray blocks the attack. Short corner to Didsbury. Their shot goes wide.
15 minutes in and Emma J Dunkerley hits a ridiculously hard ball into Didsbury’s D, Frankie Margerison stretches but is unable to get a stick to the ball.
1 minute later, Ester Thomson passes to Sally Livesey who passes to Emma Savidge. Emma takes the shot, gives it some air, but it is tapped down and safe by Didsbury’s keeper.
Soon after, Sally passes to Keira Tomes to Izzy Mahon for a shot at Didsbury’s goal. Another near miss that races right across the goal mouth with no one there to tap it in.
Fylde players, particularly the mid-field, are having a great match. The passing is sharp, fast and fluid. It is really challenging the Didsbury team to the fullest.
7 minutes to half time and Didsbury shoot high at Fylde’s goal. A great hand save by Michelle Longton as she sends the threatening ball high over Fylde’s goal
2 minutes later and Didsbury have a short corner. They shoot at Fylde’s goal, but it goes wide. Immediately after they have another shot on. An accurate shot by Didsbury, but Michelle saves again.
2 minutes to go before half time. Can Fylde score before the whistle? Ruby Cosgrove passes to Holly Farquharson who passes to Chelsea Atkinson who shoots at Didsbury’s goal. It goes wide and the half-time whistle blows. The scoreboard is scoreless.
Second half Whistle blows and Fylde are immediately on the attack. A shot from Emma Savidge at the Didsbury goal goes just wide to the right of the post.
A drive by Fylde into Didsbury’s half, Sophia Murray to Ester Thomson to Holly Farquharson to Olivia John-Haslam who takes the shot, but is just off target.
2 minutes later, Grace Tomlinson to Ester in Didsbury’s D. A short corner to Fylde. Holly puts it in to EJ Dunkerley who flicks the ball up for a high shot at goal. An accurate shot, but the Didsbury keeper saves it.
1 minute later and Sophia Murray to Holly Farquharson to Ester Thomson to Sally Livesey who hits another high shot at the Didsbury goal. Again, the Fylde shot is saved by the Didsbury keeper. Fylde applies the pressure.
15 minutes into the second half and Didsbury hit a long ball that passes through Fylde mid-field and straight to a Didsbury player deep in Fylde’s half. It is just Didsbury’s attacking player and Fylde’s goalkeeper Michelle Longton. Fylde can’t get their players back in time to frustrate the attack. Michelle comes out, goes down and stops the first shot and the second. However, the ball comes loose and Didsbury tap it in and are first to register on the scoreboard.
Can Fylde recover in this last league game of the season?
17 minutes into the second half and Fylde have a chance with a short corner. Holly passes in to Grace Tomlinson who shoots at goal. Again, the Fylde shot is accurate, but it is deflected off a Didsbury player.
25 minutes in and Didsbury attack deep inside Fylde’s half. Again, Michelle finds herself on her own against a Didsbury attacker. Again, she comes out of goal saves the shot on the ground and flicks it safe. Michele is having a great match.
26 minutes in and Ester Thomson passes to Chelsea Atkinson who shoots. Goal for Fylde. The Fans in the Stands are screaming and the sounds of the Campana echo across the pitch. The score is all level at 1 goal each with less than 10 minutes left on the clock. Can either team make it a win? The tension increases as neither team wish to concede a goal, but both desperately want to take a win from this last league game of the season.
Jayne Wilson to Holly Farquharson to Dawn Child to EJ Dunkerley to Sophia Murray and into Didsbury’s D. No shot on!
Sophia to Chelsea for a long shot across Didsbury’s goal, but wide.
5 minutes to go. Ruby Cosgrove to Grace Tomlinson to Izzy Mahon to Holly Farquharson to Sophia Murray. Pressure on Didsbury.
3 minutes before full-time. EJ Dunkerley to Frankie Margerison who delivers a hart hit at the Didsbury goal. However, the Didsbury keeper saves the shot.
2 minutes left and it is Didsbury on the attack. Michelle saves a shot and it is a short corner to Didsbury. Can Fylde hold on in the dying minutes of the game? Didsbury shoot and the ball comes off a Fylde foot. Another short corner for Didsbury in the final seconds of the game. They shoot. Sophia Murray charges the ball down and Michelle Longton saves it. The final whistle blows.
Fylde 1 and Didsbury Northern 1, a draw. Didsbury Northern Ladies 2 probably happier with the result than the Fylde. Didsbury’s goalkeeper undoubtedly kept Fylde from victory. However, Fylde can be extremely proud of a consistently strong performance with strength in goal, defence, mid-field and attack.
A huge thank you to Didsbury Northern Ladies 2 for being fantastic opponents and for providing an exciting 70 minutes of hockey in the last league match of the season. Another strong performance from a Fylde team that displays superb teamwork, enjoys working together and has developed into a second family for the players. In particular, the accuracy and pace of the Fylde passing was exciting to watch and is the result of truly close teamwork.
Captains and coaches are incredibly proud of their team this season as Fylde Ladies 2’s strong performance today helps them maintain their high position in the league. Finally, a final big thank you to our Fylde Fans in the Stands for their ever-welcome vocal support and with the accompaniment of the Campana for our final match.
Fylde 3 5-3 Ulverston 1
Despite the rainy weather Fylde 3s had high spirits this week, hopeful to obtain 3 points against Ulverston. This week marked a few debut performances from Camilla Wyles and Lauren Mayor who were both looking forward to the game ahead.
Fylde started off strong and managed to gain a lead within 9 minutes from a short corner being won by Jessica Jennings which was then cleverly devised and resulted in it being tapped in on the goal line from Rosie Leil. It only took Fylde another five minutes to gain a 2-0 lead as Abi Wensley made a fantastic run into the D and made a shot into the far post.
The defence stayed strong throughout the first half and some great tackles were made by Lauren Appleyard, followed by a great save from goalkeeper Emily Byers after a fierce shot on goal to keep the score 2-0. Despite Fylde’s defensive lines best efforts Ulverston managed to come back to 2-2 after two short corners resulted in two goals for them. However Fylde didn’t let this set them back as just before halftime Fylde made a counter attack on the break and Camilla Wyles finished a great run off with slipping the ball past the keeper on an acute angle.
Fylde knew going into the second half they had to extend their lead and they dominated the first 10 minutes with some determined work from both Jade Mottley at the back and Rosie Leil upfront who won a short corner but led to nothing. 16 minutes into the second half Camilla Wyles made an unbelievable reverse stick pass to Abi Wensley who volleyed it in on the far post to take the score to 4-2.
Florence Worden made some great interceptions throughout the game resulting in Fylde being able to hit Ulverston on the breaks. With 10 minutes to go Rosie Leil won Fylde a penalty flick which was taken by Beth Baines who slotted it in to the left corner of the goal with ease.
Ulverston managed to pull one back to take the score to 5-3 with 8 minutes to go but Wyles continued to make some great runs down the right hand side to cross to Wensley however it just went wide. Another fantastic save from Byers and a great block from Baines saw Fylde out to beat Ulverston 5-3 which was a great way to end Fylde 3s season.
There were some outstanding performances today from Lauren Appleyard, Abi Wensley, Camilla Wyles, Jessica Jennings and Rosie Leil. However everyone played so well and was a great result for Fylde.
Written by Abbie Warburton
Fylde 4 2-0 Lancaster 2
Last game of the season for L4s was a testimony to all the hard work that our players and coaches have put in over the season.
Having approximately 90% of play in the attacking half with no defensive short corners, Faye Jackson (GK) was deprived of a busy game yet she still delivered 2 wonderful and very important clearances on Lancaster's breaks.
This did not mean Fylde's defenders had it easy by a long shot. Jess Grice held her own whilst making her 4s debut whilst Nikki Richmond, Alys Williams & Isla Carter found themselves edging closer and closer to the attacking D after constant support to the midfielders. We witnessed a sterling performance from Sara Jane Tomlinson in midfield who had the best game of her season. Congratulations on being our P.O.M!
Our strikers tested Lancaster's defence over and over again but they stayed strong and their keeper was on fire. Alas it was 0-0 at half time.
(Unwanted) special attention must be given to Caroline Bell. Even though she didn't bring her hockey stick to the game (it is presumed to be on vinted) she still managed to score! 1-0 to Fylde. This was soon followed by another superb goal from Olivia Windows resulting in a well deserved 2-0 win to Fylde. It is safe to say we are staying up in the league we deserve to be in!
Thankyou parents and supporters for everything you have done for this team throughout the season. It wouldn't have been possible without you.
Leyland & Chorley 2 2-3 Fylde 1
For the last game of the season Fylde Men travelled as far south as the division allows, to Buckshaw Village to play Leyland & Chorley 2’s. Fylde needed to avoid defeat to retain 3rd spot in Division 4, but they were determined to win and put right the league draw and loss on penalty flicks in the cup just 6 weeks previously.
A good warm-up with everyone arriving on time (just about) meant a very solid start with possession in Leyland’s half for at least 10 minutes with some great passing moves, however no goal despite some short corners.
Leyland started to have attacks of their own, and with the game opening up, it was Fylde who managed to score first when Oli Adewale struck a fierce shot from the right wing into the D and which Phil Hope caught on the half-volley into the roof of the net for a fantastic goal.
Leyland managed to equalise five minutes later with a cross-goal strike from the edge of the D. More pressure came on Fylde’s defence, culminating in a short corner awarded on the half-time whistle, meaning the whole opposition team surrounded the D, and a strong strike on target was slightly deflected by both Pete Latimer and Craig Nutter, enough for it to sail past the post to Fylde’s relief.
The game carried on at high intensity for the second half, with both sides putting in robust tackles, some of which were penalised by green cards. However it was this intensity that helped Tim van Rijn score, rushing into the D to catch a well struck cross from Charlie Oliver and sweep majestically into the goal.
Leyland battled hard for an equalising goal and put a lot of pressure on Fylde’s midfield and defence, and Pete Latimer got over-emotional and swore at a young opposition player, immediately regretted it and apologised, but was rightly given a 5 minute yellow card to calm down.
Down to 10 men Fylde had to absorb the pressure, and were very lucky when a short corner was blown for Leyland just as a shot was struck into the goal, and even luckier when the short corner came to nothing.
Back at full strength, Fylde continued to push for another goal, and another Charlie Oliver attack down the right wing resulted in a fine cross along the bye-line, which somehow Phil Hope volleyed from an angle for a second spectacular goal.
The whistle for the end of the game came just as Leyland were awarded a short corner, so again the whole team surrounded the D. First corner was dealt with by Ollie Holmes sweeping the ball away behind the goal-line, but that was deemed a deliberate push off the back, so another corner was given. Back in positions again, and this time a slip to the left and a straight strike was launched which neither defender nor keeper could reach.
Final score 3-2 to Fylde and they were glad of that two goal cushion going into that final short corner. Such was the team performance that 4 players all received 3 votes in the Man of the Match voting, so honours shared for Phil Hope, Oli Adewale, Charlie Oliver and Alan Simpson.
3rd place in Division 4N for Fylde and a very successful season.
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