25th February Match Reports

Stockport Team Match Report

EARLY GOALS EARN REDDISH COMFORTABLE VICTORY

Reddish were straight out of the blocks on a perishing February morning against a Hadfield side that can often pose problems for the Stockport league teams. Reddish started the game with the pushback and went on the attack straight away with their first attack resulting in a penalty corner. Unfortunately nothing came but Reddish kept the pressure on and earning more penalty corners and pressing Hadfield back into their own half. The first goal for Reddish came within the first three minutes with jenny worth shooting from the top of the D and putting Reddish in the lead.

With confidence high from such an early goal, Reddish soon got their second. Excellent link up play on the right-hand side between Lucy and Amber soon got the ball again into the Hadfield D and Jenny W was there to get her second of the game with a nice lifted flick into the back of the net. Reddish were now two nil up within the first seven minutes. Scoring two quick goals usually sees teams tend to stay back but Reddish continued to press forward and this time a cross from Amber was finished this time by Dunners. A nice strong drive (for once not a swing and a miss) made its way through two defenders and into the back of the net past the outstretched leg of the keeper. The score was now three-nil and despite Hadfield's best efforts to attack, the Reddish defence was quickly on their case, especially Delly who put in some strong, dispossessing tackles to break down the Hadfield attacks.

Much of the play for Reddish was focused down the left side of the pitch, where Natalie and Sam interchanged well to get the ball into the Hadfield half. This constant pressure applied by Reddish earned them another short corner and the score line was again increased thanks to a well struck drive form the top of the D from Charlie Simms (aka Bean) just in time for her grand parents to witness a great hit. Hadfield were now four goals down and it was just approaching the end of the half. Reddish took their foot of the gas for the remainder of the half and went into half time looking comfortable with an unexpected four-nil lead.

The second half was very much a different story. Reddish again came out and attacked but it was Hadfield who had the greater opportunities in the second half and their breaks on the counterattack split up the Reddish midfield. Sarah was extremely active in the second half which shows credit for the Hadfield players who were still wanted to make an impression on the score sheet. They finally got their reward with a goal that despite the best efforts of the Reddish defence to get rid of the ball, it managed to find its way into the back of the net.

The rest of the second half was pretty even, Reddish still attacked but the opportunities were not as clear cut as in the first half and they were not able to increase their lead. The defence for Reddish had a really strong game, breaking up the Hadfield attacks in the middle of the pitch and when Hadfield did break through, everyone chipped in to get the ball away and down the other end of the pitch. With such a large advantage going into the second half, Reddish knew the threat that Hadfield posed and all members worked really hard to ensure in wasn’t too nail biting at the end. The early goals in the first half were enough to give Reddish victory in what could have been a very different game.

Rachel Dunley