17th September Match Reports

Stockport Team Match Report

REDDISH DEFENCE FRUSTRATES HEATON

One of the first matches to be played in the Stockport and District Women’s Hockey League was contested by Heaton and Reddish Green. The summer break may have meant a slow start to the match but this was not the case. The first league game of the season started at a frantic pace and was extremely open with the game spread across the whole width of the pitch, Heaton trying to create as many chances as possible and the young players of Reddish looking to counterattack.

Early pressure from Heaton was absorbed by the experienced Reddish defence, allowing the Reddish forwards to counterattack. The first goal of the game should have been scored from a Reddish counterattack. Unfortunately a strongly driven cross from Jenny Worth which beat all the Heaton defence could not be met by Rachel Dunley. The goal scoring opportunity meant a loss in concentration for Reddish and despite the heroics of Reddish goal keeper Andrea Getcheffsky, Joanne Furlong put Heaton ahead at the end of the first half.

The second half started at the same fast tempo as the first had ended. An injury sustained by Heaton’s Jenny Foster enabled other Heaton players to display their hitting power, with passes splitting the reddish midfield and allowing their forward players to shoot at goal. Reddish’s defence held firm and again on the counterattack Reddish should have equalised and then gone ahead but two closely followed shots from Amber Bryden were saved by Heaton’s goalposts.

With the end of the match drawing near, Reddish defended three late penalty corners yet were unable to score a goal to draw level. Heaton won the game by one goal to nil, and appeared disappointed to have only scored one goal as the score line did not reflect the number of goal scoring opportunities had by themselves and also by Reddish. However, the remainder of the season looks promising for both teams if this season starting performance is anything to go by.

Rachel Dunley.