Match Report: Lancaster Hockey Club 1s 4 Didsbury Northern 2nds 1

Lancaster welcomed Didsbury Northern to Lancaster University on Saturday.

The game barely started before Ali Standeven-Johns was injured after taking a powerful strike to the foot. Lancaster had to regroup and reorganise the team.

Both teams were patient in possession for the first 15 minutes. Lancaster won a few short corners but the Didsbury Northern goalkeeper made some fine saves to keep Nicola Conway off the score sheet.

Standeven-Johns was back on the pitch on the 19-minute mark. Within 20 seconds of her return the ball was fed through to her where is had a one on one with the goalkeeper. As the goalkeeper smothered the ball was lifted over her into the right-hand corner of the goal.

Sadly Lancaster experienced another injury to Holly Hunter who had been relentless getting the ball forward from the midfield.

Ten minutes later Conway finally had her breakthrough beating the goalkeeper on a penalty corner.

Two minutes before half time Lancaster broke up the pitch, despite Standeven-Johns having an injury to her foot she sprinted up the right flank into the D and fired the ball into the left-hand corner of the goal. Lancaster took a 3-0 lead into half-time.

Into the second half and Didsbury Northern unsettled the Lancaster defence earning a number of penalty corners. The defence rallied and kept all shots at bay.

Fifteen minutes into the second half Julie Walker played a lovely one two with Conway before hitting the backboard giving Lancaster a 4-0 lead.

Didsbury Northern continued to press Lancaster and earned a consolation goal, even if it was a deflection off a back stick!

The three points allow Lancaster to jump to fourth in the table and travel to Garstang on Saturday February 11.

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

Goal Scorers: Ali Standeven-Johns x2, Julie Walker and Nicola Conway

Player of the Match: Ali Standeven-Johns

Match Sponsor: Shackleton’s of Bare

Team Sponsor: Sue Bridges Estate and Letting Agents

More details on Lancaster Hockey Club here.