| DATE | FIXTURE | RESULT |
| 03/09/2009 | Stockport 1s v City of Manchester | 1-4 |
With CoM bringing 15 players it was evident that both sides recognised the potential importance of this match despite it being early in the season.
The first half saw extended periods of high-quality, fast-flowing attacking hockey from both teams countered by robust, intelligent defence. CoM were a touch lucky when about 10 minutes in, the ball bounced so oddly that neither attacker nor keeper were able to connect and it continued bobbling agonisingly towards goal. Despite Wendy van Tonder’s valiant efforts, it was a CoM player who just reached it first to score. Stockport kept their composure, with Kelly Shore, Bex Eccleston and Helen Elcock putting in solid tackles and Lucy Cook helping to ensure effective redistribution from defence. Jenny Worth played a crucial midfield role, ably supported by Emma Woodhead, Lucy Rowbottom and Clare Atherton, in taking the play to CoM with excellent passing moves picking up great positional work from Rachel Dunley and Lisa Horbury. Stockport’s play was rewarded towards the end of the half when Lisa connected just enough to loop the ball over the keeper and melee of players around her to make it 1-1 at half-time.
With hindsight it is clear that CoM made much the better use of the break, with a clear change of strategy. Whereas in the first half their attack had largely broken down against the wall of Stockport’s defence coming out to meet them, in the second half their midfield maintained possession while the attack moved into position much further into Stockport’s territory. Not only did this have the effect of allowing them to cut through the defence more effectively, it also pulled our midfield further back and made it harder for us to construct our own attacks. Which isn’t to say there weren’t any: on at least three or four occasions, Jenny Worth was at the heart of a series of brilliant passing moves that had the CoM defence and keeper beaten only for us to be frustrated as the last touch just failed to connect. With CoM evidently extremely hungry not just for the win but a big score, the only consolation Stockport can take from the half is that we prevented it becoming a goalfest for CoM.
POM – Jenny Worth