Hockey: Rochdale Ladies 0 - 4 Didsbury Greys

Photo: Rachel Jackson

Kie Leech was named player of the match

Rochdale Ladies had a double match weekend, so after their excellent performance on Saturday they were back on the pitch to play their rearranged fixture against Didsbury Greys Thirds on Sunday 9 February.

Didsbury went on the attack quickly, but Rochdale held firm, with Hoyle blocking the attacker at the edge of the D to force an error. Resulting in a sideline free hit, which Moon took by driving it forward before tapping it over a Didsbury stick to McDonald who in turn passed it down the right wing for Lyssejko to run onto. Unfortunately her run was disrupted by a Didsbury player but it showed Rochdale were here to mean business.

This was also on display when Parton worked the left wing with her usual tenacity, driving forward and hassling when the opposition tried to force their way back through. Backed up by Leech they made a great team and opened the space for when Leech took a free sideline ball to hit it all the way down the pitch to where Burrell was in the high midfield, enabling her to pivot and get the ball into the D, only to come a cropper on the strong Didsbury defence.

Throughout the match Didsbury were able to win several short corners, but Rochdale defended them excellently. Including a run out from Leech deflecting the initial strike out for Hoyle to sweep wide, and another where Partington snapped her heels together to save the ball and allow Hoyle to yet again clear the rebound before Didsbury could make anything of it. None of Didsbury's goals came from short corners.

Even though Didsbury did start to pull ahead goal wise, Rochdale were able to create their own opportunities. A free hit from the right hand sideline was taken by McDonald as she did a fast roll-out before firing the ball off to Leech at the top of the D, who passed it along to Parton on her left, who was able to outmanoeuvre a defender to hit the ball to the right post in front of Lyssejko, who was unfortunately just out of reach to deflect it in.

Hodcroft received the ball in the midfield and was able to weave her way down the pitch and to the right of the D before she smacked the ball across to where Midani had run down the left in time with her. Midani got her stick to the ball to deflect it, but unfortunately overshot and the ball went just the wrong side of the left post.

The final score was 0-4, with no Rochdale goal scorers.

Player of the match was Kieran Leech.

Captain Collinson said: "Unfortunately it wasn't our day today, but I'm proud of the team for how hard they fought after playing two games this weekend."

Rochdale's team:
Keeper; Sam Partington.
Defence; Dionne Collinson, Claire Hoyle, Kieran Leech & Becki Moon.
Midfield; Gemma Hodcroft, Fee Lyssejko, Paula McDonald & Daisy Parton.
Forwards; Lily Black & Katie Burrell
Substitutes: Lois Midani & Anna O'Mahony.