Crewe ladies 3s 0 Whitchurch Ladies 1s 5

After a month out of action Whitchurch ladies returned to action in a dominant performance. Whitchurch fielded a changed team with several players absent but the depth of players available to the club meant this made little difference to the outcome of the game.

Whitchurch took the lead after ten minutes through Laura Chesters scrambling home after a goalmouth melee for her first of the season. Whitchurch dominated for long periods and were awarded numerous penalty corners but couldn’t get the final touch to beat the excellent Crewe keeper. In the final minutes of the half Sue Read received the ball pirouetted and slotted the ball past the advancing keeper to give the second goal cushion.

Captain Catherine Reece-Gresty encouraged the team to greater efforts and the team responded in the second half. Sue Read got her second within minutes of the restart and Whitchurch relaxed and began to play the ball around in their normal free flowing manner. Whitchurch attacked down the right through Nicola Workman and Chloe Crump winning a penalty corner and Catherine Gresty (yes, we have two of them!) slotted home for the fourth.

Whitchurch continued to apply pressure for the remainder of the match and despite Crewe’s best efforts failed to get a clear goal scoring opportunity due to the efforts of goalkeeper Gwyneth Rees-Thomas and defenders Emily Hilton and Katie Plant.

The final goal came late on as Keeley Hathaway playing her first game as centre half broke through the Crewe defence and all her efforts were rewarded as she took the ball past the Crewe keeper for a well deserved goal.

Nestons ladies 3s 12 Whitchurch ladies 2s 0

The second team played one of the stronger teams away in the first game back after the Christmas break and despite the score line it didn’t reflect the effort of the Whitchurch team.

Whitchurch suffered an early blow losing two senior players as captain Helen Apperley took a blow to the head and had to be accompanied to hospital for a check up. Whitchurch continued to battle with Sally Pearce and goalkeeper Bethany Wright defending valiantly throughout the first half and Ellie Windsor hassling in the midfield.

However as Whitchurch started to tire in the second half the continued pressure from the Neston team started to lead to goals.

The Whitchurch team gave everything and battled until the final whistle which says much about the spirit within the team.

Whitchurch 1s take on Neston 4s at home 12.30 start and Whitchurch 2s host Crewe 3s at home 14.00 next week at the Whitchurch Leisure centre. The Mens also return to action away at Droitwich and the Fathom away to Stone.