With both the Ladies 2s and Men’s 2s games cancelled.

Whitchurch Ladies 1s 7 Crewe ladies 2s 0

Whitchurch Ladies 1s played Crewe Vagrants 2s at home. Whitchurch controlled the game, fighting for every break and leading to their first goal with Izzy Huxley scoring off a deflection from Nina Hodges. Passes were sharp from Whitchurch, out on the wings to Caitlin Edwards and Holly Gilbert. Plenty of shots into the dee were rewarded with a short corner allowing Lisa Sullivan to fire onto the backboard with a straight strike.

Not long after that Molly Fry calmly scored from another short corner. Crewe made a couple of breaks that were quickly picked up by Chloe Lloyd and Heidi Groom clearing up the pitch, one of which Holly Gilbert collected and took round the keeper for their 4th goal.

Whitchurch pressured Crewe constantly throughout the game, Nina Hodges putting away a deflection as Whitchurch kept firing balls into the Crewe dee. Just before half time, another short, a pass to Captain Catherine Gresty who drove the ball round the defence to get their 6th goal.

Half time came at the perfect time as Whitchurch Ladies were tiring. Crewe came out hard playing more aggressive and gave keeper Holly Edwards a harder half but she made every save and kept a clean sheet for Whitchurch. Hayleigh Busby playing at the back had a fantastic defensive game, saving a shot on the goal line from a Crewe corner.

As Crewe dropped back it made it incredibly difficult for Whitchurch to score. Crewe frustrated in the last quarter as Whitchurch forwards battled, firing in balls for deflections and pushing through the middle by Mollie Bell. Lisa Sullivan took her opportunity, dribbling into the dee and shot into the back of the net for goal number 7.

Players player was awarded to Captain Catherine Gresty, next week is a rest Saturday for the ladies 1s.

Deeside Ramblers ladies 4s 4 Whitchurch ladies 3s 1

Whitchurch ladies 3s travelled away to Deeside Ramblers home ground at Tiverton to take on the team the ladies 2’s played last week.

Whitchurch won the toss and took the first push back and came straight out with a strong attack. Freya Gresty and Poppy Huxley worked hard on the left wing to keep the ball in the oppositions dee. Some strong passes from Alice Page and Jasmin Williams saw Louise Whitley take several shots on goal but she was unable to get the ball past Deeside keeper.

After a strong attacking first half with some excellent interceptions from Annie Leigh who soon sent the ball back up to the Whitchurch forwards, Deeside got to get the ball past keeper Louise Cottrell a minute before half time.

After half time, Whitchurch continued to attack but Deeside had upped their game and soon

capitalised by scoring their second goal about five minutes into the second half. The Whitchurch defence of Mel Reid and Hermione Ball worked hard and made some excellent clearances to prevent Deeside access to the goal. Whitchurch’s keeper made an excellent save and ended up on the ground but managed to use her pads to get the ball out to Wendy Cooper who cleared it out of the dee and up to Bella Morris who worked well with Lucy Hearn and Jan Teggin to drive the ball back up the pitch.

Unfortunately Deeside proved the stronger side and managed to slot three more goals past the

Whitchurch defence. In the last 15 minutes, Whitchurch lost Alice Page to an injury after being hit but this seemed to spur them on. Deeside gave away a short corner in the final couple of minutes, which Whitchurch took swiftly, the ball came off a foot of the opposition and another short corner was given just as the final whistle went. Whitchurch regrouped and following an excellent injected ball, Jasmin Williams went on to score Whitchurch’s one goal of the game.

Players player was given to Bella Morris who played a sterling game in the midfield.

Next week, Whitchurch ladies 3’s play their rescheduled away game against Runcorn Ladies.

Deeside ladies 2s 2 Whitchurch ladies 1s 2

Whitchurch ladies 1s travelled to Malpas to play against local rivals Deeside. It was a tough game from the start with both teams fighting in the middle of the pitch. A long ball played in by acting captain Lisa Sullivan to Mollie Bell who slipped it just wide of the post. Whitchurch reset and after several attempts on the Deeside goal, Izzy Huxley won Whitchurch their first short corner. Sullivan slipped the ball to Molly Fry who fired it how to give Whitchurch the 1-0 lead that they needed.

This gave Whitchurch the boost to push for some more. Deeside won a short corner which was then converted into a flick which Holly Edwards handled amazingly well but Deeside slotted in their equaliser. Shortly after Edwards making some critical saves to keep Whitchurch in the game but Deeside slipped the ball past giving them a 2-1 lead.

After the halftime talk everyone was stretched out and ready to strike again, Sullivan in the middle slipping the ball left to Ellie Windsor and right to Caitlin Edwards who was having an amazing game up the right making crucial runs along the baseline looking for Hayleigh Busby who was in the dee ready to fire home, but Whitchurch where awarded a short corner which Busby slotted just wide of the post.

Whitchurch kept their heads held high and pushing towards the Deeside Dee. Sophie Ward on the left with Chloe Lloyd and Jess Kimberley and Anna Latham kept Deeside out of the Whitchurch Dee. Fry received the ball from Ward pasted it on to Busby who found Fry again in the dee who then fired it home for Whitchurch bringing the score level to 2-2.

Player of the match was Sophie Ward.

Whitchurch Mens 1s 8 – Alderley Edge Mens 5s 0

The 2021 hockey season started well for Whitchurch with a solid win against a young Alderley Edge team. On a weekend when teams all around the country were struggling to find players in the midst of Covid, and players having possibly left clubs entirely, Whitchurch were able to field their full Mens 1s, including a new player in Scott Lawrenson. Alderley Edge were under the cosh very early on in the game, as the Reds were able to draw on years of playing together as a team, and much of the game was spent in the Alderley Edge half as Whitchurch employed a high press.

The scoring started with a strike from the edge of the dee by Elliot Watters which Craig Hockenhull got a touch on to put it through the keepers legs. It was followed shortly after by Rob Chappell’s fine strike to double the score. Alderley Edge struggled to clear their defences, with Whitchurch man-marking really well, giving very few options for any way to get out from the back and build a threat. Any loose balls were picked up by the Reds and quickly turned into a new attack. Alex Fry and Steve Kay were solid at the back, and had the time and confidence to move the ball around freely, allowing attacks to form on either side of the pitch. Chris Ruscoe on the right, and James Partington on the left, as wing-backs provided real width which stretched the game and caused holes to appear which Chappell, Joel Leese and Joe Coburn used to great effect in the middle of the pitch.

Hockenhull and Sam Conway rotated well on the left, and Jack Barnes and Tom Forster worked the right side of the pitch to cause pressure at all points of the Alderley Edge dee. Watters and Lawrenson took turns at centre-forward to try to capitalise on the constant pressure being created, and with everything clicking throughout the team, it was only a matter of time before more goals were scored. Watters was able to get the ball to Forster who threaded it through to Leese to slot it into the goal. A short corner was stopped well by Fry and Barnes’ flick slipped through the keeper’s pads.

Four up at half-time, and the Reds were full of confidence for the second half and were able to put together some excellent passages of play. Movement around the back, strong and accurate passes, sharp interceptions when Alderley Edge did break, and width in the opposition half gave them a lot of time to shine. Goals in the second half came from Barnes from a cross from Hockenhull, and another from Barnes for his hat-trick as he fired in from the edge of the dee. Coburn nipped in to collect his first of the season, passing the ball past the stretching keeper, and Hockenhull was on hand to tap in the rebound from a strong shot from Chappell.

Alderley Edge did manage to win a short-corner right at the end of the game, which was the first real involvement for Paul “Sturge” Leigh in goal, but the Reds defended well to see out the rest of the game. It was a really strong performance, and especially impressive for the first game of the season after a protracted break. Whitchurch are away next week against Crewe Vagrants.