Depleted hockey firsts hit for six

DAISY MAY WARD . . . player of the match for Oldham.

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MISSING seven first-team regulars, Oldham Ladies Hockey Club were always going to be up against it at high-fliers Alderley Edge.

And so it proved as they fell to a 6-1 defeat. Alderley were quick out of the blocks and only fine

defending maintained the deadlock in the North Hockey Women’s League Division Two South-West clash.

Oldham fell behind in a cruel way when a deflection into the ‘D’ came up off Amy Broadbent and into the path of an Alderley player, who tapped home.

Amanda Smith went close to levelling after good work from Rachel Cherryholme.

Alderley, with a squad of 16 to Oldham’s 12, made regular line-out changes and remained fresh and relentless in attack.

Oldham never let their heads go down, despite conceding on three more occasions before the break.

Daisy May Ward, at centre back, was outstanding for Oldham, while Emma Burns pulled off some acrobatic save.

After Alderley took their tally up to six, Oldham got the goal their endeavours merited. Louise Howard won a short corner. The ball from Karen Rowley was tapped by Howard towards Rachael Johnson, who slipped it to captain Fran Lees. Howard was now in space and after receiving Lees’ accurate pass, reverse-flicked it into the Alderley goal.



A LATE goal condemned Oldham seconds to a 2-1 loss against their Didsbury Greys counterparts in Greater Manchester Hockey Association Division One.

Greys started the stronger and forced their opponents on to the back foot for much of the first 10 minutes.

Oldham gradually got a foothold in the match and produced some promising attacks.

Sarah Barlow and Donna Tindall tackled tenaciously and made some fine clearances, but it was Greys who nosed ahead before half-time.

Oldham began the second period showing lots of determination, and their efforts paid when Rachel Cherryholme added the final touch to a well-worked short

corner routine involving Gillian Jones and Lorna McGuiness.

The game was up for grabs, and it was Greys who grabbed the winner.

Oldham: Green (GK), S Barlow, Tindall, Faulkner, Bratt, Y Jackson, Jones, Rice, H Jackson, A Jackson (Captain), McGuiness, F Barlow, Cherryholme.