Hockey: Didsbury Northern Ladies 1 - 5 Rochdale Ladies

Gill Knowles led from the back - Rochdale Ladies Hockey

Rochdale Ladies secured promotion with a comfortable victory at Didsbury Northern Ladies on Sunday.

Rochdale began very well and it wasn't long before they took the lead with a strike from the returning Jenny Banks up front.

Ashleigh Hoyle and Kie Leech were playing in unfamiliar roles in the middle of the pitch but they both looked very comfortable.

Roisin Pickering and Katie Burrell attacking moves kept Didsbury pinned in their own half.

Once the first goal had been scored Rochdale could smell victory and before long they showed their class again and with a pass from Gill Knowles to Hoyle who  fed the ball to Banks to double Rochdale's lead.

Pickering was working tirelessly up and down the wing and her efforts paid off with a cross to Banks who swept it into the net - Banks's seventh hat-trick of the season.

Didsbury pulled one back just before half time.

The second half was much of the same with Rochdale's players bossing the game and pushing tirelessly for more goals.

A short corner was awarded to Rochdale and Hoyle injected the ball in to Banks, stood at the top of the D, who scored hers and Rochdale's fourth.

Rochdale's defence continued to stand strong with Kate Brammer showing her skill with several runs in to the Didsbury half.

Leading by example, Kie Leech picked the ball up in the middle of the pitch and ran past several Didsbury players directly into the D to score Rochdale's fifth.

The player-of-of-the-match went to Roisin Pickering.

Captain Kie Leech: “This was a tough weekend for us playing back-to-back matches, but to come out with all six points is a testament to this group of players.

"We have now guaranteed promotion and are going to push on to win the division outright.”