Fylde coast hockey round-up: Lytham St Annes and Rossall Ladies keep up title chase

Walker equalised with an unstoppable penalty after her drag-flick was illegally stopped on the line, then Webster scored from close range to give Lytham the lead.

With Amie Knighton and Emily Adams keeping Liverpool forwards at bay, Lauren Lockhart made a couple of important saves and Emily Adams’ confident strike from a penalty corner sealed victory.

Lytham Men lost 9-2 at Urmston in North Two West. An injury-hit Lytham side fell behind after five minutes and were four down before a resurgence saw Copeland score after Blacow’s effort was saved.

Cards were shown to both sides as the game became increasingly competitive and it was 4-2 at half-time after Joe Ashton turned the ball home.

However, the game got away from Lytham in the second half as Urmston scored five and could have had more but for some tireless clearances from Dixon, who saved a penalty flick.

Lytham 2 jumped to seventh in North West five north north after a 2-1 win away to Formby 4. Having lost to the same club’s thirds the previous week, Lytham played with urgency, pressing high and dominating midfield.

Mike Gannon opened the scoring and Lytham held their 1-0 lead until half-time after Joe Craig saved a penalty stroke.

Dave Gee drove Lytham forward after the break and a cutback from the baseline saw the lead doubled.

Formby brought senior players off the bench and pulled one back but Lytham contained the pressure to protect their lead.

Lytham Ladies 3 drew 1-1 away to Leyland and Chorley 3 as the bottom two clashed in Lancashire Central division two.

Two fine saves by Katie Holt, one from a penalty flick, kept Lytham on terms only for the hosts to take the lead from a short corner. Sally Stone passed for Megan Lewis to attack down the centre and score to make it 1-1 at half-time.

Lytham pressed for the winner as Lucy Knowles made some strong runs, but Lewis had a goal disallowed as play was pulled back for a penalty flick, which was saved. Nikki Richmond fought strongly in midfield as Lytham showed their fitness to hold on.

Rossall Ladies’ hockey team secured a top-two finish in their Lancashire Central first division promotion chase after an 8-0 win away to bottom club Brookfields.

After some good saves by the home keeper, the leaders broke the deadlock through Sam Evans after good work by Tracey Housley and Jill Perkes-Wilson.

Debbie Slater’s fierce shot from the top of the D was deflected in for an own goal to make it 2-0 at half-time.

Rossall upped the tempo as Perkes-Wilson made it three from Housley’s great pass.

Straight from the restart, Perkes-Wilson intercepted and slipped the ball to Emma Gilfoyle for number four.

Jill was again the provider for Alex Holden to score, then Evans claimed her second and Rossall’s sixth after a strong run by Slater. Perkes-Wilson scored a deserved second before Evans’ hat-trick strike completed the scoring.

Blackpool Hockey Club’s senior men’ suffered a second successive hefty away defeat 16-0 at Bebbington. With another raft of players unavailable, Blackpool’s bare 11 were no match for their opponents in a game quickly worth forgetting for the visitors.

Blackpool 2 were also affected by the player shortages as Sean Lester came out of an eight-year retirement to face West Derby 2 at Stanley Park.

They did have the luxury of three subs – and needed them with three injuries during the game – and competed well only to lose 7-5.

Blackpool made a disastrous start, though, and were 4-0 down after 15 minutes as their newlook defensive unit took time to gel. But with Jay Currey and Paul Atherton working well down the right wing, Blackpool got into their stride and Harrison Cardwell opened their account.

However, West Derby scored a fifth before Jay Currey’s firm strike from a short corner made it 5-2 at half-time. Blackpool had the better of the second half as good work by Chris Walker and Jack Williams resulted in Toby Jeffery, normally a goalkeeper, scoring his first goal for the club.

Ashlie Holmes scored from close-range on her return after a lengthy lay-off and Cardwell’s second from a short corner reduced the deficit to one, but West Derby managed to protect their lead.

Garstang Ladies suffered an 8-0 defeat at home to league leaders Lancaster.

Lancaster’s player of the match Nicola Conway scored five.