GIRLS’ SPORTS REPORTS 14/11/16

HOCKEY

U14 North West Semi Final at Timperley:  

Sedbergh U14s looked to build on a positive first half of term at North West 
An opening fixture against St Edwards saw the girls play good possession hockey and controlled the whole game. Goals from India Haydon Wood and Natasha Cookson provided the team with an impressive 2-0 win.

A strong Kirkham side were next and eventually ran out 1-0 winners scoring late on, the girls can take plenty from the defeat, the importance of taking chances at the top of that list.

Effectively a final vs the favourite Grange from Cheshire stood between the girls and a place at the North finals in Leeds. Once again lack of experience in the final third was the biggest downfall and the game finished 2-0.

Whilst this U14 team has plenty of talent in it, they must pair that with the correct attitude if they are to succeed over the next 5 years. They should have a good look at the first XI and see how they conduct themselves when they step on an Astro, both for fixtures and training. MWS 

1st XI v Giggleswick  Won 4-0

Sedbergh continue where they left off with a scintillating performance to beat a well drilled Giggleswick side 4-0.  Issy Chamberlain latched on to a final defence splitting ball from Imo Boddy to convert calmly leaving the Giggleswick goalie helpless.

With Sedbergh maintaining the majority of the possession they were moving the ball around well and the opposition couldn’t get close. Emily Stuart found herself free at the back post to score the simplest of goals.

With the score line at 2-0 at half time the girls wanted to work on what they had practised midweek in training they executed a fine move to enable Eliza Nelstrop to leave her midfield role, overlap and become a 4th forward to slot home.

Jemima Cookson was a constant threat all day and with one assist to her name she was able to add a goal to that showing good skill with a reverse stick hit that found the bottom corner. MWS 

2nd XI v Giggleswick  Won 5-0

Another superb performance from our 2nd XI. With the majority of the possession it initially took a while to convert a goal due to the opposition crowding the goal. However with Grace Sykes using her skill and speed to beat players and pass the ball into space, the goals started to come and the girls got a well deserved win. ELAW

3rd XI v Giggleswick Won 1-0

It was a competitive fixture against Giggleswick at the weekend for the 3rd XI. We had many chances where Molly Scott drove the ball down the right wing and crossed the ball in the D but we struggled to get a stick on it. We continued to fight and managed to finish with a goal in the last minute of the game to secure a victory. ELAW

U15A v Giggleswick D 0-0

Under sunny skies two strong evenly matched teams played out a fast competitive game in great spirit and with mutual respect. The story of the match was the inability of either side to capitalise on the opportunities they created.

The midfield trio of Duckett, Dale and Dignan controlled the majority of possession, whilst centre forward Ellie Heathcote made superb leads all game to open up the Giggleswick defence, but unfortunately the final ball was not precise enough and 10 short corner opportunities went begging. At the other end goalkeeper Katie Gill made three crucial saves to keep Sedbergh level.  MPS

U14A v Giggleswick W 3-2

Played in exactly the same vein, the under 14’s game had all the same elements but the finishing was better. This was a superb game of hockey as Sedbergh took a fortuitous 2-0 lead into half time thanks to two bits of individual brilliance from Natasha Cookson, scoring one and setting up Ella Seymour’s deflected goal with two reverse hits.

After the break Sedbergh failed to convert any of their short corners whilst Giggleswick converted two from two to bring the scores back level. In an end to end game either side could have pinched the win, but after great work from India Haydon Wood, it was another wonderful strike into the bottom right hand corner from Cookson that gave Sedbergh a very hard fought victory. This game extolled all the positives of quality junior hockey, and the girls on both sides must take credit for their part in it.  MPS

Junior B v Giggleswick W 4-0

In the third game, played in equally good spirit, Sedbergh’s junior B team had too much skill up front for Giggleswick. Forwards Matilda Smalley, Emily Ackroyd, Olivia Chatterley and Katie Haywood time and again ran through the Giggleswick defence and scored three open play goals whilst Captain Joelle Welsh scored from a short corner.

In defence Rosie Clifford was the rock upon which Giggleswick’s attacks floundered giving goalkeeper Flora Thomson a relatively quiet game. Again the girls from both schools were exemplary both in how they played and behaved. This capped a super afternoon at Giggleswick. MPS