Oldham stung by high-fliers

Amanda Smith

OLDHAM Ladies Hockey Club conceded four first-half goals as they suffered a 4-1 defeat at high-flying Wilmslow in North Women’s Hockey League Division Two South-West.

The hosts had won their previous six games to sit pretty at the top of the table, but it was Oldham who made the early running, pushing back their lofty opponents.

However, Wilmslow went ahead against the run of play and added a second from a short corner after Emma Burns saw green for an unfortunate slip, which chopped down the Wilmslow attack.

Another short corner beat goalkeeper Sarah Simpson, and with Oldham’s heads dropping, the home side added a fourth with a tap in at the far post.

The away side were short of creativity and struggled to penetrate the Wilmslow midfield to allow the forwards to have any real goal-scoring chances.

A fired up Oldham team, featuring several positional changes, were much better in the second half and pulled a goal back through Amanda Smith after good work by player-of-the-game Rachael Johnson and Karen Rowley.

Oldham had the momentum, but a green card for right-back Chidi Onuoha saw them temporarily reduced to 10 players and the opportunity to further reduced the deficit was lost.

Oldham: Simpson (GK), Onuoha, Lees (captain), Ward, Broadbent, Johnson, Rawlinson, Blair, Smith, Rowley, Howard, Burns, F Barlow.

o DESPITE restoring parity after an early Stockport Bramhall goal, Oldham’s second team were beaten 7-1 in Division One of the Greater Manchester Hockey Association.

Oldham’s goal came courtesy of Lorna McGuiness, but the speed and determination of the side in second place saw them add three more to their tally before half-time.

The local team improved after the break, although they were unable to capitalise on well-worked corners involvingHayley Jackson, Yvonne Jackson and Rachel Geraghty.

Promotion hopefuls Stockport took their tally to seven, which was

Oldham: Green (GK), S Barlow, Tindall, Bratt, Faulkner, Beddow, H Jackson, A Jackson (Captain), McGuinness, Y Jackson, Geraghty, Booth.

o SHOWING focus and commitment, an Oldham team consisting of players from the seconds and thirds beat Didsbury Northern 3-1 in a friendly game.

Oldham: Y Jackson (GK), Booth (captain), Killeen, Cooper, S Lord, Wilson, H Jackson, Noone, Sidebottom, Smith, Faulkner.