Dragons hit by goal-line clearances

Huddersfield Daily Examiner (Huddersfield, England), Nov 15, 2006

Lockwood Park Dragons visited newly- promoted Formby Ladies Hockey Club, and had to settle for a 1-1 draw on Merseyside.

After last week's defeat to Driffield, Dragons knew it was imperative to get away to a good start and were quickly out of the blocks.

An excellent move started by Sarah Sawyer on the left, saw Michelle Dexter beat the Formby defence and produce a perfect cross for strike partner Nikki Turner to clinically dispatched the ball into Formby's net.

Lockwood's lead lasted only 10 minutes as Formby found the goals just before the break, but in the second half it was all Dragons as they hit a post and had three shots cleared off the line.

Lockwood Park Dragons II 6 Leeds III 1

ALTHOUGH unbeaten Lockwood started the game the stronger they failed to capitalise on early chances and it took 15 minutes before Benson put the home team ahead. Green made it 2-0 shortly after with a fierce shot, but then Lockwood appeared to sit back, allowing Leeds to pressurise the home goal and score. After the break, however, unbeaten Dragons came out like a top-of-the-table team, and soon went 3-1 up when Bailey finished off a great passing move. Green made it four and then an inch perfect pass set up player-of-the-match Sharpe, who ran 20 yards and fired the ball into the backboard. It was left to Green to seal the victory with her hat trick.

Team:Vernon, Di Napoli, Dunne, Parkin, Smeaton, Benson, Bidwell, Sharpe, Bailey, Wallis, Green.

Lockwood Park III 10 Airedale 0

FINDING the back board was not a problem for the Dragons third string with the forwards and midfielders all working well together. Gwen Thomas scored four, while Hester Longstaff netted three times. Sarah Shaw, Leanne Moncuck and Katie Brown added further goals and Moncuck the player-of-the-match award.

Team:Davidson, McCallum, Bates, Luxford, Moncuck, Brown, Longstaff, Thompson, Thomas, Shaw, Mallinson.

Colne Valley II 2 Doncaster III 0

VALLEY opened the game in positive mood and Sarah Ford netted with a great strike after just five minutes. Valley continued to work well together with Karen Riley on the wing continually moving the ball into attacking positions. But it was not until the second half that they were able to increase their lead when, from a penalty corner, Emily Bill picked up the ball off the keeper's pads and slotted it home.

Team:Kapusi, Mellor, Carrington, Harris, Russell, Ford, Haigh, Lundy, Bill, Sunderland, Riley, Moore, Higginbottom, Flynn.

Colne Valley II 1 York University I 2

IN the first half, the young university side had most of the play and Jilly Kapusi in goal was superb in deflecting several goal-bound shots. Kaye Mellor hit a fine shot out of defence, down the line for Rebecca Sunderland to collect and cross to Claire Massitt, and with the York players floundering she slipped the ball to Hannah Higginbottom, who slotted the ball into the net. Valley's defence was called upon to keep out York before half time, but with pressure mounting after the break they finally cracked and York scored from a penalty corner and later added a second to seal the win.

Team:Kapusi, Davies, Mellor, Haigh, Lundy, Higginbottom, Riley, Russell, Carrington, Bill, Moore, Massitt, Sunderland.

Huddersfield VI 2 Ben Rhydding 3

HUDDERSFIELD were denied victory with two goals in the last five minutes. Both teams were evenly matched and came close to scoring in the first half. Ben Rhydding had two precocious 11 year olds who caused no end of trouble for injured defender Barker and Wynter on the wing. Huddersfield struggled to plug the midfield with Lees, Dunn, Clancy and Collins. Hassan and the defence made some masterful saves some very close to the line. Ben Rhydding eventually broke the Huddersfield defence and scored a neat first goal. Huddersfield did not lose their nerve but equalised following a neat string of passes from Dunn, Collins and Clancy which allowed Davies to score. Huddersfield then went in front following a well-worked move from Dunn to Wynter, who crossed the ball for Shimmel to score. Huddersfield went into the second half with the upper hand, Ben Rhydding having twice fallen foul of the umpire had a man sent off. Huddersfield maintained the pressure with Collins, Dunn, Lees and Clancey trying to plug the midfield. The visitors were kept at bay with great goalkeeping from Hassan. Ben Rydding refused to lie down, however, and broke Huddersfield hearts with two exceptional strikes from the edge of the D in the dying minutes.

Team:Hassan, Barker, Clancy, Wynter, Moorhouse, Shimmel, Davies, Lees, Collins, Broke, Dunn, Hampshire.