The women’s 2nds hockey girls dismissed Lancaster last year 6-0 and were hoping to repeat the feat this year. The girls have had an amazing season, gaining a double promotion in the BUCS and Yorkshire leagues, they have also produced some stunning hockey and Roses was no exception.
York were on the attack straight away and Harriet Mills was straight on the score sheet. A consistent attack gave her the opportunity and she put the ball away with a lovely sweep. York continued this impressive start and dominated play. Lancaster did have an early chance for an equalising goal but was saved by Hannah Harrison who popped it wide at the post.
One of the Lancaster supporters made a brave incursion into York supporter territory trying to stir up the faithful- thoroughly owned he went back to his own crowd amongst jeering chants of ‘Cheerio!’
Tamsin French made the score 2-0. Anna Williamson was instrumental in setting the goal up, passing to Mills who thwacked it across the goal mouth for French to finish. The Lancaster keeper was called upon soon after- she made some beautiful saves on the floor, diving full length to prevent Montezuma for seizing her first goal.
At the start of the 2nd half York were back on the attack. The play was a great deal faster and fluid than women’s hockey is normally, adding to the excitement of the occasion. Williamson earned herself a yellow card for not moving five on free .
Captain Harriet Nicholls, spurred on by shouts of ‘Captain’s goal’ from the sideline, drove powerfully down the left wing and towards goal but was fouled by the goalie and three players. On the short corner awarded to York for this rule break Lancaster broke the goal line early. They went on to do this a second time and the team were given a yellow card, this provoked consternation by the Yorkie supporters who thought this was deserving of a flick.
Tamsin French had a fantastic opportunity to score- going one on one with the goalkeeper but was denied through skilful defending. Harriet got her second goal of the game with beautiful passing routine. Moving from Anderson to Montezuma to Mills, who coolly tapped it home. 3- 0 to York.
Montezuma seized the last goal of the match, making it 4-0. It was near perfection, finding herself in space in the D she received the pass, turned on a sixpence and fired it into the bottom left corner all in one motion. Truly beautiful Montezuma.
Hannah Harrison was warned for bad tackling. Montezuma nearly added her name to the score sheet a second time, it hit a defenders foot and went in but was disallowed for a foul nobody but one umpire had noticed.
Harriet Nicholls was ecstatic after her team’s success. She jubilantly congratulated her team exclaiming ‘we are amazing’ and she is ‘so proud’ and that they ‘fought hard and deserved to win’. Definitely.
Vision MOTM: Sophie Anderson
