Lytham St Annes Hockey Club: Men claim eventful Preston victory

They started well, putting Preston under pressure despite playing into the driving rain and wind.

Lytham took the lead when well-worked play down the left ended with David Robbins calmly converting.

Tom Atkinson then made it 2-0 before Jordan Makepeace drove through the defence for a 3-0 lead at half-time.

The second half saw Will Butcher sinbinned before Preston pulled two goals back.

Adam Dixon saw a penalty stroke saved by the Preston keeper, who was then red-carded for hitting Robbins off the ball.

Dixon made no mistake from his second penalty before Preston scored again to make it 4-3.

However, Lytham capitalised on their lack of a keeper as Andrew Copeland scored into an open goal to seal victory.

The seconds put in a determined display but lost 4-0 in atrocious conditions at league leaders South Lakes.

Despite some good defence, LSA trailed 2-0 at half-time after which a defensive error and a late goal gave South Lakes a somewhat flattering margin of victory.

The ladies’ first team lost 5-0 on a cold, rainy day at Carlisle.

Nevertheless, their performance included much of what had been worked on training with the players developing well as a team.

The seconds also lost, 3-0 against Pendle Forest 2.

They started strongly, passing well but unable to convert their shots at goal as the first half ended 0-0.

Pendle Forest then led from a short corner, followed by two more goals from open play against an LSA team which put in plenty of hard work.