Lancaster Hockey Club match reports

Here are the latest match reports for Lancaster Hockey Club.

Lancaster 1s 3-0 Kendal 1s

Lancaster welcomed Kendal on March 25 in their penultimate match of the season.

The home team started brightly having a number of shots saved by the Kendal goalkeeper, who was alert to all danger. Nina Helme was the closest to the target but a deflection took the ball agonisingly away from the left hand corner of the goal.

Lancaster were awarded a penalty stroke after the ball hit a Kendal foot as the ball was about to creep into the goal, but after much discussion the umpires overturned the decision and gave a penalty corner instead. The first half was a frustrating watch as Lancaster did not play their best hockey. Lancaster captain Leighan Bleasdale needed to rally the troops in the half-time team talk.

In the second half Lancaster started to attack both the right- and left-hand side of the pitch. Jayde Christeansen distributed the ball to the Lancaster midfield well. Holly Hunter and Ali Standeven-Johns used their speed to outrun the Kendal defence and earn a number of penalty corners. After a strike at goal and another save by the Kendal goalkeeper Holly Hunter rocketed the ball into the top left corner of the goal.

With 10 minute to goal Lancaster capitalised again, another penalty corner was saved but this time Hayley Standeven-Johns was ready to convert the rebound into the goal.

Kendal mounted their own attack when Lancaster were caught napping at the back. Bleasdale who was a spectator most of the game kept her concentration to tackle the Kendal forward at the top of the D and clear wide.

Club top goal scorer Nicola Conway scored the third and final goal despite being man marked by two Kendal players all game. The three points take Lancaster back to third with one match to go.

Team: Leighan Bleasdale (GK) (C), Nina Helme, Holly Hunter, Nicola Conway, Jayde Christeansen, Julie Walker, Zoe Oswald, Ali Standeven-Johns, Hayley Standeven-Johns, Libby Thwaites, Caitlin Ball, Ella Bookless and Sarah Kettlewell

Goal Scorers: Holly Hunter, Hayley Standeven-Johns and Nicola Conway

Players of the Match: Holly Hunter & Jayde Christeansen

Team Sponsor: Sue Bridges Estate and Letting Agents

Match Sponsor: M Conway Electrical Ltd

Pendle Forest 3s 0-1 Lancaster 2s

Lancaster 2s travelled to Nelson on March 26 for an early 10.30am push back in a re-arranged fixture. Despite the tired façade of the team due to the early start Lancaster started the brighter of the two teams with Susie Crayton, Ellen Wills and Ellie Blackstone worked both wings driving Lancaster forward.

Some great link up play between Lauren Allwood and Rebecca Airey earned Lancaster a flurry of short corners. Airey saw her straight strike saved but the deflection fell kindly to Sophie Christopherson who fired the ball home into the D after seven minutes.

Lancaster continued to press with Emily Bamber-Dowthwaite, Lauren Allwood and Izzy Liver finding themselves in space to run at the Pendle defence before playing self-passes through or round the defenders releasing Lancaster into the D. The Pendle goalkeeper matched every Lancaster shot despite the onslaught.

After half time Pendle pushed for an equaliser, the defence of Emma Wood, Frances Archer, Molly Chapman and Amelia Welch remained switched on making strong tackles and interceptions. Pendle earned a number of short corners, but the Lancaster goalkeeper Rebecca Halliwell was equal to every shot.

The game became end to end, with both teams pushing for a goal. The final whistle was music to Lancaster’s ears, earning them a 1-0 win.

Team: Rebecca Halliwell (C) (GK), Emma Wood, Frances Archer, Amelia Welch, Molly Chapman, Sophie Christopherson, Rebecca Airey, Lauren Allwood, Izzy Liver, Susie Crayton, Ellen Wills, Emily Bamber- Dowthwaite and Ellie Blackstone

Goal Scorer: Sophie Christopherson

Match Sponsor: M Conway Electrical Ltd