Fylde coast hockey review: Blackpool, Lytham St Annes, Garstang

The home side dominated the opening quarter of an hour, with their pacy forwards proving a handful for the Blackpool defence.

Blackpool began to look dangerous and Morgan combined with Simon Thomas to open the scoring after 20 minutes, but Sefton hit back with a well-worked equaliser five minutes later.

Blackpool thought they’d regained their advantage from their next penalty corner but the goal was ruled out because the ball had not left the area and it remained 1-1 at half-time.

The second half proved to be a replica of the first as Blackpool regained the lead through Morgan, with a deflected reverse stick effort at a penalty corner, only for the home side to peg them back 15 minutes from the end.

Rob Dingle and Steve Whitley both had chances to win it for Blackpool, whose man of the match was Sam Robinson for his efforts in a variety of positions.

Blackpool 2 were beaten 3-1 at home by their West Derby counterparts but there was a 1-0 win for Blackpool 3 away to bottom club Leyland and Chorley 3 in North West six north north.

Blackpool dominated from the start but composure in the D was lacking and they had to wait until the final moments to score the winning goal.

Leyland hit a post from a rare attack in the goalless first half and Blackpool couldn’t make their sustained pressure count as the game wore on.

With time running out, the energetic Harrison Cardwell dribbled into the D and set up Matt Atherton for the winning goal at the near post.

Lytham St Annes Men climbed the North two west table with a precious 2-1 win over Deeside Ramblers 2 at AKS.

Lytham stood firm in a goalless first half, in which they survived a few nervous moments but were boosted by strong challenges from Andy Taylor and Will Stone.

It was Will Robinson who broke the deadlock after the break, the Deeside keeper deflecting the ball into his net. Despite objections from the visitors, the goal stood.

The tide was turning in LSA’s favour, despite Will Stone hobbling off with a leg injury, and the home side began to find gaps through the middle.

Tom Atkinson released Neil Mallalieu down the right and his cross was converted by Andy Copeland to double the lead.

Deeside tried to hit back but keeper Adam Dixon parried all the shots that came his way.

The visitors did pull one back from a penalty corner in the dying seconds but it was too late to deny LSA the victory which lifted them above City of Manchester into ninth place.

Lytham St Annes 2 retained their two-point advantage over second-bottom Southport 2 in North West four north after the clubs played out a 3-3 draw.

Lytham St Annes 3 are also third-bottom in division five north north after their 3-1 home defeat by third-placed Formby 3.

It could have been different had LSA converted their chances but they were 2-0 down at half-time.

Jack Morris pulled a goal back and LSA were awarded a penalty flick to level the scores but Dave Gee saw his effort well saved. This proved a turning point as Formby upped their game and added a third goal .

LSA forced some short corners but couldn’t get back into the game despite Gee’s solid performance and a promising display by Dan Stone.

An imperious performance from unbeaten North Division Two leaders Pendle saw them win 8-1 against a Garstang side missing three senior players.

Fourth-placed Garstang started well, and after some good defence by Donna Richardson mounted their first attack on the Pendle D.

Pendle came back hard and took a seventh-minute lead with a penalty corner fired just inside the post.

A midfield battle then ensued, with Josie Rice playing some great hockey to keep honours reasonably even.

Alanis Parkinson made a good foot save but on 15 minutes Pendle scored their second goal.

Five minutes later and another Pendle penalty corner was converted to make it 3-0 and the fourth followed two minutes later.

Garstang’s passing improved and they threatened the Pendle goal as substitute Rachel Roe impressed with her strong runs up the wing.

However, Pendle continued to attack and it was 5-0 at half-time, the ball trickling past Parkinson after a diving stick save.

Garstang started the second half well, with Fran Summers attacking strongly, while at the other end Parkinson stopped a shot from a penalty corner with her face grid.

Garstang lost the brave Jen Mos to illness but continued to withstand the pressure without substitutes until Pendle made it 6-0 from a quick free hit.

Pendle hit a post but Summers went close for Garstang and Di Roe’s shot was stopped by the keeper’s foot before Jude Chapman scored the consolation goal from Kiery Horne’s pass.

A superb Pendle strike completed the scoring.

Lytham Ladies were always up against it away to Liverpool University and were beaten 5-1 by the second-placed side in North division two.

The mid-table visitors could muster only one substitute and debutant Amie Knighton had to run off an early knock, but they did manage some forays into the Liverpool D.

Even so, it took some saves on the line by Hannah Shore to keep Liverpool at bay until the half-hour mark, when the only goal of the half was scored.

Liverpool took control with three more goals in the first 10 minutes of the second half before Hazel Cockerill led a Lytham rally.

The hosts added a good fifth goal before LSA scored the consolation they had threatened when Georgia Perkins shot between keeper’s legs from a short corner.