Hot-shot Green is making her mark

Huddersfield Daily Examiner (Huddersfield, England), March 7, 2007

Byline: David Lockwood ,

Lockwood park Dragons' second team goal ace Liz Green must surely be on the way to creating a new Yorkshire Women's Hockey League individual goalscoring record.

Although there is probably no officially recognised record, it will be a surprise if anyone has previously netted as many times as the tall blonde striker, who has now, incredibly, hit the back of the net 72 times this season, with several matches still to play!

Her strike rate has been quite remarkable and certainly helped lead Dragons to an almost unassailable place at the top of Division II with an unbeaten run of 18 games.

Green's tally of 72 is by far the lion's share of her sides aggregate total of goals, which after the weekend had risen to 114, while the defence have also to be complimented, having conceded just nine goals at the other end.

It was back-to-back hat tricks from Green which put her side on track for victory in their game at Cleckheaton, a result that was never in doubt from the start as Lockwood took control from the whistle and were soon 2-0 up after goals from Green and Rachel Bailey.

The visitors were passing the ball around well and Green added her second before Amy Smeaton struck to make it 4-0 at the interval.

In the second half Cleckheaton tried to sit back and hold Dragons at bay, but a short corner from Liz Maddaford was deflected into the net by Liz Sharpe, before the provider turned goalscorer, Maddaford netting No6.

And with Lockwood Park's defence and midfield remaining firm, it just remained for Green to complete her hat trick with her side's seventh goal.

Team:Vernon, Di Napoli, Benson, Dunne, Smeaton, Bailey, Bidwell, Middleton, Sharpe, Monchuk, Green, Maddaford.

Lockwood Park Dragons II 4 York University 0

THIS always promised to be a tough game against a York side who had moved up to second in the table. And it was the University team who started the stronger and took control in midfield. Great tackling from Vicky Bidwell and the defence kept York out, and gradually Lockwood began to get into the game, and were then awarded a penalty stroke after a defender kicked the ball off the line. Green stepped up and slotted the ball past the keeper. York tried to maintain the pressure, but it was Green again who fired in a powerful shot on the turn to put her side 2-0 at half-time. Dragons forced the pace in the second half with Bailey making a great run to get on the end of a Green cross for 3-0, and then with 10 minutes left Green sealed the win with her hat-trick goal to put the result out of York's reach.

Team:Vernon, Di Napoli, Benson, Dunne, Smeaton, Bailey, Bidwell, Middleton, Sharpe, Monchuk, Green, Maddaford.

Lockwood Park Dragons III 5 Acomb II 0

LOCKWOOD started well and dominated the match, taking an early lead through Thomas. They played the ball around well and made it 2-0 with a goal from Wallis before half-time. The match evened out in the second half, but Lockwood's defence held firm, and after a short corner Longstaff made is three, and then added her second and the team's fourth minutes later. Thomas also added a second to her tally to round off Dragons' scoring. Laura Bates was voted player-of-the-match.

Team:Davison, Moorhouse, Bates, Sanyika, Hampshire, Monchuk, McEwan, Longstaff, Dobson, Wallis, Bland, Thomas.