Hockey: Lancaster forced to settle for point in first game of new year

In their first game back after the Christmas break Lancaster 1s had to settle for a point away at Clitheroe.
Lancaster Hockey Club's second team.Lancaster Hockey Club's second team.
Lancaster Hockey Club's second team.

Lancaster created chances from the off and put Clitheroe under immediate pressure. Ali Standeven saw her fierce shot saved onto the cross bar and Julie Walker also saw her shot saved.

Lancaster won a flurry of penalty corners but couldn’t find the decisive finish and after 20 minutes they were made to rue their missed chances as Clitheroe fired a hopeful ball upfield which their striker latched onto and found the back of the net.

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Lancaster came back almost immediately, winning another corner which again Clitheroe’s keeper managed to keep out.

Trailing at the break Lancaster pushed hard in the second half looking for the decisive goal.

Clitheroe tried to catch Lancaster on the counter but Leighan Bleasdale made a great save to stop Clitheroe doubling their lead.

With 15 minutes to go Lancaster finally got their deserved goal. Toni Fagan won the ball on the left and found Walker. Her defence splitting pass found Standeven in the D who passed it beyond the oncoming keeper to Hayley Johns, who calmly swept the ball into an empty net.

Lancaster had to make do with a point in a tough game.

Meanwhile, Lancaster 2s beat Longridge 2s 2-1.

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The deadlock was broken by Lancaster after a penalty corner was awarded and Dodd hammered a low shot home.

Ledward, Clarke and Andrews worked tirelessly to keep sustained Longridge attacks out of the D, but an equaliser eventually came.

However, Higgs, Burrows and Lindsay controlled the middle and Lancaster were soon battling in the D.

A flurry of shots was defended well by Longridge but Fletcher’s was deflected into the goal giving Lancaster the win.