Hockey: Rochdale Ladies 2 - 0 Manchester Moss Park

Gemma Holdcroft in Rochdale's midfield

Rochdale got back back to winning ways on Saturday with a win aginast Manchester Moss Park.

In October Rochdale had run out 10-0 winners against Moss Park and so this time Moss Park came with two 'star' players (taken from higher squads) to try and help to keep the score down.

The freezing temperature saw both teams taking a while to get going. Rochdale were also without a couple of key players and early decisions against them led to a scrappy first 20 minutes.

Rochdale's all round better quality began to show and a break by Becky Knowles led to a left wing cross from Roisin Pickering in to D and Ashleigh Hoyle firing past the keeper.

Rochdale were unlucky not to get a penalty flick late in the first half, when striker Jenny Banks broke through to be one-on-one with the keeper only to be brought down by a close line style tackle which wouldn’t have been out of place in the WWF. A short corner was awarded but Rochdale failed to convert it.

The second half saw a much better display from Rochdale, Kate Brammer and Becki Moon in defence giving a rock solid platform and Gemma Holdcroft in midfield starting to push further up the field and open up the play.

Rochdale’s passing game was creating gaps in the Moss Park defence and Banks picked the ball up in the D, took it around two defenders leaving a tight angle but Banks buried it into the corner.

The victory sees Rochdale stay in second place, one point behind Urmston, next week's opponents, but with a game in hand.

Captain Kie Leech said: “We started slowly but I thought once we got going there was no way we going to lose. The defence were outstanding again, giving the rest of the team the belief to push forward.

"The player-of-the-match goes to Dionne Collinson for a fantastic display.

"Next week is a massive game for us but I have every confidence in these girls.”