Fylde Women win first home hockey Conference game of year but defeats for Lytham St Annes

Back to full-strength for this feisty derby, Fylde dominated the first half but couldn’t capitalise.

Pendle pressed with more aggression in the second half and opened the scoring with a fantastic strike from a penalty corner.

Still 1-0 down as they entered the final quarter, Fylde equalised with Izzie Milbourn’s low, hard drag-flick from a penalty corner, which resulted from Flor Zappulla’s skills in the circle.

Tempers flared on the pitch and off but Fylde were not distracted.

And when Hattie Madden’s excellent ball into the circle from the right found the unmarked Pru Lindsey, her excellent finish beat the onrushing keeper with the final play of the game.

Matchwinner Lindsey was named player of the game in a great team performance.

It was a grey day in Manchester in more ways than one for Fylde 2, who drew 1-1 away to Didsbury Greys in North West division one.

Fylde’s high-tempo play was rewarded with the opening goal by Olivia John-Haslam from Dawn Child’s superb pass.

Katie Barker cleared a series of short corners but the home side equalised just before the hour in this enjoyable game.

The outcome was the same at a wet and windy Mill Farm, where Fylde 3 hosted the Lancaster and Morecambe first team in division two north.

Becky Evans stepped up to captain a youthful Fylde side who struck too many shots straight at the keeper’s pads in a goalless first half.

Fylde pinned the visitors bac and finally made the breakthrough with 10 minutes remaining, when Valarie Versterre produced a brilliant shot.

The hosts surged forward but over-committed in attack and Lancaster equalised on the break with under two minutes to play. Kiera Thomas was player of the match.

Fylde 4 had the worst of the conditions but enjoyed a 3-2 home win over Clitheroe and Blackburn Northern 2. Beth Wolstenholme, Hannah Metcalf and Grace Tomlinson were the scorers.

Fylde 5 took the lead at home to the Leyland and Chorley first team but went on to lose this division four north (central) match 4-1.

Georgia Nicholls exchanged passes with Jess Egan from a short corner to open the scoring but Fylde trailed 2-1 by half-time.

Fylde couldn’t convert some brilliant hits into the D and Katie Sloane impressed on debut.

Fylde Men endured more frustration away to Didsbury Northern’s second team, who had snatched a very late equaliser in their Mill Farm clash in North West division one.

This time Fylde let a 3-1 lead slip to lose 5-3. Fylde were behind inside five minutes but equalised with Gaz Sym’s drag-flick from a penalty corner.

Fylde started enjoying more attacking play, resulting in two goals for leading scorer Jamie Oakes.

Didsbury pulled one back before half-time and took control in the second half.

Fylde continued to defend resolutely but ran out of substitutes, while Didsbury made the most of theirs to clinch the points with two late goals.

Fylde can take plenty of positives into training before returning to action a week on Saturday.

Fylde 2 were much improved and lost less heavily than in recent weeks, though visitors Kirkby Lonsdale 1 did register an 8-0 win.

Fylde 3 gained revenge with a 10-1 win at Kirkby Lonsdale 2 in four north.

The hosts could field only nine players and Fylde took full advantage.

They had to be patient for Simon Allen’s opening goal, then player of the match Oli Adewale scored his first senior goal after Harry Marsh’s strike across the D was deflected by James Dobson.

Good play by Dobson down the left set up the third for Phil Hope and Marsh made it 4-0 at half-time.

Marsh claimed three more in the second half, when Hope also completed his hat-trick.

Dobson created more chances with his runs down the right and scored one himself, while Bertie Jones made an assured debut.

The home side never gave up and scored from their only short corner.

Lytham St Annes Ladies welcomed Amy Horrocks back after four years but this boost could not prevent a 3-0 defeat by Deeside.

LSA linked up well in attack and Emily Adams tested the keeper with a rocket shot in the goalless first half.

Deeside broke the deadlock early in the second half and added a second despite determined LSA play.

Lytham could not find a way through a Deeside team who defended well anD added a third in the last minute.

LSA 2 lost 14-0 to the Preston first team but nobody’s head dropped, with great displays from Alicia Iredale and Hannah Turner.

A depleted Lytham St Annes Men’s 2 lost 10-0 away to runaway league leaders Preston 4. Well done to those who played.