4th February Match Reports

Stockport Team Match Report

STRIKERS ON FORM AGAINST FOREST

With Stockport leapfrogging Reddish in the league on goal difference, playing Forest may have provided the opportunity to get some goals back and at the same time keep the pressure on Heaton. Forest started the game with ten players and Reddish were quick to take advantage, scoring their first goal after five minutes from a penalty corner. Lucy Cook opened the scoring with a firm drive and quickly got her hat trick, getting two goals from open play, with top of the D hits within the next three minutes. The score was three nil after eight minutes and Reddish could sense more goals. Fantastic link up play between Lucy C and Charlie Simms down the right hand side provided a lot of scoring chances for Charlie and she was unlucky not to convert, despite hitting the post on two occasions.

The game evened out mid way through the first half and forest attacked the reddish half using their wing players. Kerry made some strong tackles to protect the Reddish D and Mags even took a trip into the Forest half after making a number of critical interceptions in the midfield. With the defence providing a firm barrier, this helped the forwards, especially Cookie who scored with a hit thanks to a drive from the defence and got her and Reddish’s fifth goal with a push created by a goal mouth scramble. This was after Forest was reduced to eight players due to injuries, one of which was a serious one to the head to a critical player. Reddish went in strong at half time with five nil lead.

The second half started very much like the first and Reddish quickly added to their total, this time with Susan Elcock getting a nice goal at the back post with the reverse stick. Lucy added to her total from a penalty corner and Natalie Sutherland got her first goal of the game also from a penalty corner. With the score now at eight-nil, Forest could have decided to call it a day but they remained professional and had an opportunity to get on the score sheet with a penalty flick. The Reddish keeper had brought down one of the Forest forwards on a one on one opportunity and a penalty flick was the only option for the umpires. Unfortunately for Forest, the flick was saved and they remained without a goal.

To add to their misery, Reddish would just not go away and became goal happy. Charlie S continued to attack the right hand side of the D and shot from some impossible angles, all the while putting more pressure on the Forest defence as the ball rebounded to the ready and waiting Reddish players at the top of the D. On one of these opportunities, Sam Piggin was alert and added another at the back post. Further goals were added by on form Cookie who got her seventh of the game (wow!), taking the goal tally into double figures and Natalie and Susan both doubled their personal goal totals, making the final score twelve-nil.

Rachel Dunley