Hockey: Rochdale Ladies 1 - 3 Didsbury Northern Ladies

Rochdale keeper Sam Partington and defender Becki Moon

Rochdale hosted Didsbury Northern 4ths on Saturday 19 February in a fixture plagued by bad weather - this was the fourth attempt to play it. The rain had washed all the snow away, but it continued to pour the whole way through the match.

Didsbury started the stronger team, their belligerent play and fitness initially routed Rochdale's response. As a result Rochdale's attempts to drive play back up the field was disjointed and their game suffered. There were still some great moments. Partington made a number of excellent saves and Hodcroft kept escaping the pack of Didsbury players that were determined to crowd her out of the game. Rochdale successfully defended a couple of short corners and were awarded some of their own, though unfortunately they were unable to break through the opposition and into the goal.

A sideways hustle from Hodcroft ended when she passed the ball off to Pickering, who weaved around the winger in her way only to hand the ball back to Hodcroft to get around the defender who was blocking her path into the D. Hodcroft slammed the ball towards the net the moment she was inside the D, but it sailed just wide of the post before someone could get within reach to deflect it into the goal.

At halftime Rochdale took stock, players and spectators alike honestly appraising what had just happened to cause them to be two nil down.

It was just what they needed because the second half was a far more coordinated effort that saw them more easily break the Didsbury offensives whilst granting more opportunities in their opponent's D. A sideline free hit from Yates was switched around the back via Mongan and Hodcroft to Pickering, whose run into the D earnt them a short corner. Banks took a hit at the top of the D, but the keeper was able to save it, and before Rochdale were able to get the rebound a second short was called.

This time Hodcroft took the strike but Didsbury were yet again able to prevent Rochdale from scoring. A free hit from Owen at the top of Rochdale's D found Knowles in the centre, who got a touch to it to send it towards Banks. Banks pivoted and ran down the pitch before entering the D from the right wing and crossing the ball into the net at the far post to bag Rochdale a goal. Rochdale's defence still had their work cut out for them, because Didsbury were determined to snag themselves more goals.

Rochdale's main tactic was to channel them away from the D, forcing desperate passes and other errors that allowed Rochdale to control the game. The few that got into the D were marked out to clear the ball. And with Partington on form with her amazing saves, most of the shots Didsbury took ended up being harmless. After a free hit from defence, a game of pinball ensued in the midfield to escape an entire crowd of opposition players. McDonald tapped it to Banks, who nudged it sideways to Hodcroft, who in turn passed it back to McDonald who broke the sharp, snappy passing with a hit to Pickering to drive the play down the wing before crossing it back to Banks, who tried to find an angle to get a shot off, but was ultimately blocked out from a goal.

An attempt by Didsbury to intercept a Rochdale pass went awry to shoot straight to Hodcroft in the centre, deflecting it to Knowles who passed it into the D as Yates ran onto it. Yates took her strike early, but was denied a goal by the keeper.

The final score was 1-3, with Jenny Banks as Rochdale's only goal scorer.

Captain Knowles said: "Some great play especially in the second half. Getting better each week.”

Player of the match was keeper Sam Partington.

Rochdale's team:
Keeper; Sam Partington.
Defence; Dionne Collinson, Nikki Mongan, Gill Owen & Hannah Palmer.
Midfield; Gemma Hodcroft, Paula McDonald, Roisin Pickering & Arabella Yates.
Forwards; Katie Burrell & Becky Knowles.
Substitutes Jenny Banks, Kate Brammer & Becca Newton