Last time the York ladies 1sts team travelled to Long Bentham they lost in a frustrating encounter 1-0 to the Newcastle 2nds team. This time, however, they triumphed 5-1 to keep the promotion dream alive.
York were on the attack from the off. Frankie Hall scored soon in to the first half. She received a pass from Jill Mercer just inside the D, slipped around the Newcastle defenders and shot from a tricky angle. Newcastle, however, utilised their clever positioning- locating one forward high up the pitch to mix in with York’s defensive line. After their left forward collected the ball at half way, she stormed down the wing, dribbled around two York defenders and slotted the ball into the high forward. Her difficult reverse sweep was unexpected and precise- levelling the score in a sophisticated fashion.
With the scores level, both teams stepped up their play. The Newcastle forwards continued to provide some frightening moments for York and send the team flying back down the pitch. Emma Beresford for York played a superb game as inner- a step away from her normal position and Imy Storm continued to make some beautiful runs down the right wing.
Storm got the third goal of the match. She sashayed past the defenders in the populated D to go one on one with the goalie. Using good skill and perfect timing she sidestepped the goalie and eluding their grasp- nipped the ball past the line. The score was now 2-1, still too close for comfort.
Hall scored her 2nd of the match on her 2nd shot, the first being saved by the keeper. Hall snatched the rebound and, raising the ball slightly, made her second impossible to save.
Kristen Roberts and Vaila Ormiston also added their names to the score sheet. Roberts scooped the ball in from the left post and Ormiston demonstrated some perfect play, beating two defenders at the top of the D to hammer the ball into the left corner, inches inside the post. The half time whistle blew with the score at 5-1.
York worked hard to keep the ball in the oppositions D after half time, and for the first five minutes it worked perfectly. The Newcastle ‘keeper had to pull of some tricky saves to prevent the visiting Yorkers from scoring. However, despite successive short corners the ball was cleared into safety.
York continued to struggle with the high forward, despite Rachael McMillan marking her dedicatedly, the ball kept getting to her from 16 yard hit outs. Despite tightening and moving the press she kept getting the ball, maybe Newcastle are magic, or just highly skilled.
Despite pressure on the Newcastle area throughout the half a 6th goal was not to be. The half ended with neither team having scored but some beautiful hockey being played. Captain Hannah Gage was delighted with her team’s ‘excellent win’ and that she was ‘looking forward to next week’s cup clash’. This is a battle against Durham 2s for a place in the final, should be an epic encounter.
Vision MOM: Imy Storm