11th February Match Reports

Stockport Team Match Report

STOCKPORT DEFEAT SLUGGISH REDDISH

 Both Reddish and Stockport were locked on points going into this match, with Stockport just ahead in the league on goal difference. It was going to be a close game, well at least that’s what you would think with two even poised teams but the outcome was far from that.

Both teams started well, both having ample opportunities to score from penalty corners and good strong crosses from both sides but both were unable to break the deadlock. Reddish came closest hitting the post in the first half and narrowly missing from a short corner but it was Stockport who got the first goal on the score sheet with only three minutes to go in the first half. A drive from the top of the D gave Stockport a one-nil lead going into half time.

After scoring twelve goals against Forest the previous week, reddish knew that they could score goals and were confident that they could overturn this one goal deficit at the start of the second half. Yet the play from Reddish appeared sloppy and they spent most of the second half defending attacks from the Stockport forwards as the Reddish attack broke down in the midfield. Useful attacks from Reddish came from the left hand side as Susan Elcock made runs down the wing, only to be stopped by an ever present Stockport defender.

Reddish tried to attack but Stockport was too strong and thirteen minutes into the first half they scored their second goal, which was unfortunate not to be stopped on the line. Reddish attacks kept breaking down and the third and fourth goals from Stockport quickly followed and Reddish looked unlikely to win. Once the fifth goal with five minutes to go, Reddish confined themselves to defeat, yet did probably not deserve to get beaten by such a strong score line.

With the score now at five-nil, Stockport eased up and Reddish was provided with the opportunity to attack. Strong cross field passes allowed reddish to attack the Stockport D and Dunners nearly got a consolation goal right at the death thank to a straight to stick cross from Lucy C but it was pushed just wide of the left hand post.

A hefty five-nil defeat by Stockport sees Reddish slip just behind on goal difference and may probably mean the end of their title challenge, as Heaton go further in front at the top of the table.

Rachel Dunley