Fylde Ladies win on final weekend of hockey season

​Fylde finished on a winning note in Vitality Women’s Conference North, beating Harrogate 3-1 at Mill Farm.

They got off to a bright start, creating numerous goalscoring opportunities, and the visitors were fortunate to find themselves only one goal down after the first quarter.

The familiar pattern of failing to convert chances continued and Fylde paid the price as a goal on the rebound left Harrogate level at half-time.

Fylde soon restored their lead, though, Hannah Cook finding the net from a penalty corner.

The hosts did give the ball away too often in the second half, though the North Yorkshire side were unable to punish them.

Victory was sealed with a late goal-of-the-season contender as a lovely passing move ended with Cook converting Keira Tomes’ cross at the back post. Cook was named player of the match for her brace and assist.

The second half of the season was tough but Fylde can be pleased with this victory and a fifth-placed finish.

Fylde 2 finished third in North West Division One after a 7-3 victory away to bottom club Clitheroe and Blackburn Northern.

The sun shone and Fylde applied pressure from the off, Emma Savidge opening the scoring.

This lit a fire in Fylde bellies and EJ Dunkerley doubled the lead with a straight strike from a short corner, then Chelsea Atkinson made it 3-0 at half-time.

Fylde switched play well as Frankie Margerison fired the fourth within five minutes of the restart.

The hosts pulled two goals back from short corners but Fylde only came back stronger with Atkinson’s second and a Lisa Perry goal.

Beth Risdale and Abi Johnson made some amazing runs and Sally Livesey scored the seventh from a short corner.

Clitheroe scored from a last-minute penalty flick but this was a sterling Fylde effort to end a season of hard work.

Second-bottom Fylde 4 couldn’t bow out of NW Three North (Central) on a high, beaten 1-0 away to Lancaster 2 despite excellent debuts from Tilly Tomlinson and Issy Gun.

The final men’s match of 2022/23 saw Fylde 2 defeated 9-0 away to NW Four North champions Leyland and Chorley.

Fylde were far from full strength, had only one substitute and were six down by half-time.

They showed plenty of fight and made forays forward in the second half but couldn’t beat an outstanding keeper.

James Dobson stepped into a defensive role admirably but player of the match for Fylde, who finish in sixth spot, was midfielder Luke Hitchin.

Among the absentees was Peter Latimer, attending his daughter’s wedding. The Gazette would like to pass on congratulations and our thanks to Peter for another season of Fylde HC reports.