Friendly Lancs 2nd XI v Stockport Hockey Club Reps

The Stockport league has had a bi-annual friendly fixture against lancs for many years and SHC aims to keep this fixture going. Lancs always provide a challenging game of hockey which is fast paced and with many talented individual players in their team, and we get chips after the match!.

In the first half Lancs had far more of the possession than Stockport. The Lancs attacking play was difficult to defend against, with the ball being switched from side to side, and attackers on diagonal runs to get in behind the defence. Stockport's goalie Angela Fuggle was kept very busy in the half as Lancs had numerous short corners, but their routines weren't able to penetrate the goal. Stockport were fortunately at times in open play: One Lancs shot hit the post and spun across the goal mouth behind the keeper, but was cleared to safety. Helen Elcock saved a shot on her reverse stick just in front of the goal line and Adele Lumsden cleared another shot at the corner post to prevent a goal. Stockport were hanging on to a 0-0 score line at the half time whistle and needed to re-group to discuss tactics.

The second half was a far more open game. Lancs couldn't control possession like they had in the first half and Stockport started to pass the ball well. Players were able to move up the pitch as a unit and give the forwards more support. When the Stockport's forwards opened up the Lancs defence they took every opportunity to shoot on the Lancs goal. The Lancs goalie saved the shots but on one occassion she mis-kicked and this resulted in a scramble to get to the loose ball, and a shot that was deflected just wide of the post. It proved to the closest Stockport came to scoring in the match. Lancs were awarded a penalty corner just on the final whistle. Having worked so hard nobody wanted to let a goal in at this point and Adele Lumsden defending at the goal post saved the shot. It resulted in another short corner, but the second time the Lancs shot went wide and the final whistle came.

Well Done,
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Thank-you to everyone who played