Hockey: Rochdale Ladies 1 - 0 Sale Ladies 2nds

Photo: Rachel Jackson

Dionne Collinson was named player of the match

Playing at home again, Rochdale hosted Sale 2nds on Saturday 19 November. Rochdale were hoping to build up some momentum after their draw away last weekend; where they were relieved to have broken their losing streak.

Sale had first pushback and were determined to quickly put Rochdale on the back foot. However, Rochdale's defence were having none of it and quickly saw them off and fired it back into the midfield. Hodcroft had a valiant attempt to weave around the wall of Sale players in her way and into the D, and just about managed to do so before her run was closed down.

There was a portion of the first half where Sale were able to dig themselves in and earn multiple short corners, long corners and sideline balls worryingly close to Rochdale's D. But even with Sale trying to create overloads on a wing, Rochdale rallied as a team to hold them back. Leech and Collinson especially were working hard to block and intercept shots as Hoyle and Palmer marked out the Sale attackers loitering near the goal, so that Partington would have an easier time making her usual brilliant saves.

Parton was busy proving herself on the left wing during this as she helped Leech and Hodcroft pinball the ball around the opposition to try and break the deadlock. A Sale free hit from their sixteen yard line was intercepted by Hockaday. Finding herself in open space she charged forwards into the D and chanced a strike at goal before Sale caught up. She slipped her shot past the keeper and down the right hand post, to score the first goal of the match and put Rochdale in the lead.

With Sale grouping and setting up around Rochdale, Pickering was forced off her usual right wing almost all the way over to the left where she was able to pass to Yates, who drove the ball to the baseline before a Sale player tackled it off the back line. McDonald took the long corner, finding a line back to Yates, who in turn bounced it back out to Leech who fired it into the D. Burrell and Knowles were well placed for a shot on goal, but the Sale defence didn't give them a way through. They won a short corner for their efforts. Burrell injected the ball up to Hodcroft, who ran the couple of steps she needed to take a strike at goal, only for it to be saved. Rochdale scrambled for the rebound, but were unable to regain control.

Going into the second half Rochdale were one nil up, and had a lot of positives to discuss whilst also isolating the few things they could tighten up when play resumed. A free hit from Collinson found McDonald, who hit it up to Knowles on the line. She drove it down the wing before crossing it into the D. Hodcroft had run into the D and was able to pick it up and take a strike. Sale's keeper saved it but Burrell was ready for the rebound and took her own shot. The ball was going wide but Black was ready on post to tap it in. Unfortunately Rochdale's celebrations were short lived as the ball had come off Black's body, and not her stick.

Rochdale did well to hold the ball in the top half of the pitch, pushing hard into Sale's defence as they tried to find another scoring opportunity. A free hit on the left wing was run in by Yates, who quickly passed it to Black, near the left post, who swept her stick to try and clip the ball in by the right post. In a double blow of bad luck, her shot went just wide and her second goal attempt was denied as well.

It wasn't all plain sailing for Rochdale. Sale were able to drive the ball back to Rochdale's defence several times, but they couldn't find a way through because Rochdale covered each other to allow them the movement to regain control of the ball and minimise Sale's attempts on goal. Leech was in command as left back, intercepting and firing the ball back up the wing.

Towards the end of the match it became clear that both teams were starting to tire, but neither gave up until the very end. Collinson and Hockaday kept running to block and intercept for every free hit Sale had, until finally Rochdale could relax when the whistle blew for full time.

The final score was 1-0, with Claire Hockaday as Rochdale's only goal scorer.

Player of the match was shared by Dionne Collinson and Claire Hockaday.

Captain Collinson said: "We got our win and it was so deserved. Well done! Let’s keep this momentum going.”

Rochdale's team:
Keeper; Sam Partington.
Defence; Dionne Collinson, Claire Hoyle, Kieran Leech & Hannah Palmer.
Midfield; Gemma Hodcroft, Paula McDonald, Daisy Parton & Roisin Pickering.
Forwards; Katie Burrell & Becky Knowles.
Substitutes: Lily Black, Claire Hockaday & Arabella Yates.