Hockey: Rochdale Ladies 10 - 0 Manchester University Thirds

Rochdale Ladies Hockey 10 v 0 Manchester University Thirds

Rochdale's second game of the weekend should have been more difficult than the score suggests. University teams are always strong but when Manchester turned up with only eight players, Rochdale knew it was going to be their day - and so it was.

Straight from the first whistle Rochdale went on the attack and within minutes Becky Knowles had scored Rochdale's first after a cross from Roisin Pickering.

This lifted Rochdale and it wasn't long before Ashleigh Hoyle had scored.

It wasn’t looking good for Manchester and even though their team was depleted they still gave it a good go and showed that even with eight players they could still produce some effective passing down the pitch. However, each time they attacked and Rochdale's defence won the ball they didn't have the players to defend. This was hard work for the University team and it wasn't long before Jenny Banks had picked up a pass from Pickering and slotted home Rochdale's third with a neat one touch sweep of the ball.

The flood gates opened and Knowles scored another and Banks added to this seconds later.

The weather was getting colder and snow had started to fall which wasn't helping Rochdale's usually fluid passing. Mistakes were being made and this was opening up chances for the University team, but they just couldn't convert.

After all the running she was doing Pickering finally got herself on the score sheet with a pass from the top of D after Hoyle had set her up with an easy shot at goal. 

Both teams showed weary legs in the second half and Rochdale had many opportunities but the tiredness along with the snowy conditions wasn't helping. Tired passing was making Rochdale's game very sloppy.

The weather proved too much for Dionne Collinson's body and she had to sub herself. On came Alexandra Bedford and within minutes Bedford had proved she was worth her place on the team sheet. Manchester University were awarded a short corner. Short intricate passes were made and a shot on goal but Bedford stood strong and was there to make a clearance off the line to keep Rochdale's clean sheet.

Rochdale had several more chances and Knowles bagged her hat-trick with a sweeping effort which deflected into the net off the outstretched defender.

Not to be outdone Banks stepped up her game and within minutes had scored her third goal of the game with a strike from the top of the D.

With five minutes to go Rochdale piled on the pressure and they won a short corner. A short pass to Pickering from Paula McDonald saw her cross the ball to Banks who very calmly slotted the ball into the back of the net.

Captain Kie Leech: “Two games in two days is always hard, so to see Manchester turn up with only eight players was a blessing. Having said that, we still had to beat them, with the games in hand they had they could of gone top of the league, but now the title is in our hands with only four league game left.”

Ashleigh Hoyle was voted player-of-the-match.