Category Archives: Match Reports

Blow-by-blow accounts of the latest (hopefully) action…

Match reports 12-10-24

Triton Men’s 3s 4 Whitchurch Men’s 2s 3

Whitchurch were looking to build on the strong performance against Crewe 4’s. Travelling away to Alsager to play Triton was the task for the afternoon.

Whitchurch looked poor from the off, some poor marking and loose passing led to the first short corner of the game for Triton, who dispatched it straight into the bottom corner after only 2 minutes. Triton kept coming after Whitchurch and they struggled to get out of their own half and again Triton won another short corner which they dispatched again to put Whitchurch 2-0 down in about 5 minutes. Then straight from the pushback Whitchurch couldn’t settle and Triton played a nice ball across the Whitchurch back line which was tapped in at the back post to put Whitchurch 3-0 down before the 10 minute mark.

After a quick restructure of the team Whitchurch finally started to create some chances with some good wide play winning Whitchurch a short corner. This was the excellent finished off by Martin Beacher. Whitchurch kept coming but couldn’t get any more before half time.

The second half began and Whitchurch looked like the better team with some more great wing play from MOTM Oliver Edwards getting Whitchurch down the pitch. This then led to a fantastic run by Billy Edwards leading to Jamie Dodd putting the ball away to make the game 3-2.

With this newfound fight Whitchurch continued to attack leading to another short corner won. Which was then put away with fantastic precision by Craig Hockenhull. To pull the game level. Whitchurch then maybe became too eager as unfortunately they were then reduced to 10 men with a yellow card and shortly after reduced to 9 men. Whitchurch held on and defended bravely but unfortunately Triton then got a good break and their centre forward was able to dispatch the ball into the Whitchurch net.

Whitchurch kept searching for the equaliser but couldn’t find the breakthrough after Tritons defence frustrated Whitchurch and unfortunately couldn’t find the breakthrough they needed.

A lot of lessons learnt in that one for Whitchurch who hopefully can be stronger in their next game against Knutsford.

 

Whitchurch Men’s 1s 3 Deeside Men’s 5s 1

Whitchurch 1s came from behind to secure a 3-1 away victory over Deeside 5s in a hard-fought encounter.

Deeside struck first, catching Whitchurch on the break midway through the first half. A quick counterattack won them a short corner, which they expertly converted to take a 1-0 lead. Whitchurch pressed for an equaliser as the half wore on, and their persistence paid off just minutes before the break.

Ben Kimberley found himself in space inside the D, receiving the ball calmly and slotting it past the Deeside keeper to level the score at 1-1 heading into halftime.

The second half saw Whitchurch raise their intensity. Joe Thomson, who was later named Man of the Match, delivered a standout moment. Driving to the top of the D, he unleashed a fierce strike that flew into the top left corner, putting Whitchurch 2-1 ahead.

Shortly after, Whitchurch capitalised on another short corner. A powerful strike rebounded into the path of Jordan Chevins, who expertly volleyed the ball home to make it 3-1 and secure the victory for Whitchurch.

With solid defensive work and disciplined possession, Whitchurch saw out the game to take all three points

Match Reports – 28-09-24

Whitchurch ladies 1s 1 Cheshire Blue ladies 2

Whitchurch put up a spirited fight against Cheshire Blues but ultimately fell 2-1 in a hard-fought match.

The game began positively for Whitchurch as Sarah Lewis opened the scoring with a well-placed goal in the first half. Her effort energized the team, setting a hopeful tone for the match.

In the second half, Cheshire Blues regrouped and equalized through a strong goal from open play. Shortly after, they took the lead with another well-executed goal from open play, putting Whitchurch on the back foot.
Throughout the match, several players stood out. Captain Lisa Sullivan led the team with great determination, while Hayley Kellett and Jas Williams contributed significantly in midfield, creating opportunities for the attack. Freya Gresty, Cath Gresty and Lucy Kehoe worked tirelessly in attack, helping to maintain pressure against the Blues.

Poppy Huxley made several key runs down the wing, and Katie Laffey showed her skill with precise passing. Hayleigh Busby and Ellie Windsor provided solid support in both defence and attack, while Rachel Chesters displayed great agility throughout the game.

Poppy Gilbert was instrumental in maintaining possession and creating chances, earning her the Man of the Match award for her outstanding performance. Caz Wynne in goal made crucial saves to keep Whitchurch in the game, showcasing her skills and resilience.

Despite the 2-1 defeat, the Whitchurch team demonstrated great spirit and teamwork. They are eager to learn from this match and are looking forward to their next challenge, aiming for improvement and stronger results.

 

Winnington Park Men’s 2’s 2 Whitchurch Men’s 1’s 2

Whitchurch 1’s played out a dramatic 2-2 draw away at Winnington Park 2’s, in a match full of intensity and last-minute drama. Whitchurch began the game confidently, controlling much of the early possession and creating several good chances, but found themselves trailing after a well-taken short corner by Winnington Park. Despite a strong start, Whitchurch couldn’t prevent their opponents from going 1-0 up midway through the first half.

The visitors came out with renewed determination after the break, dominating the early stages of the second half. Their pressure finally paid off when Steve Lloyd fired home to equalise, continuing his impressive scoring form. Building on the momentum, Whitchurch surged forward again, and it wasn’t long before Ben Kimberley found the back of the net to put the away side 2-1 ahead.

As the game entered its final minutes, Whitchurch looked to be heading towards a well-deserved victory. However, Winnington Park had other ideas. A quick counterattack in the dying moments forced another short corner, and with the final whistle blown, it was the home side’s last chance. They capitalised clinically, scoring with the final play of the game to snatch a 2-2 draw, leaving Whitchurch no time to respond.

Whilst the late goal was a bitter blow for Whitchurch, the team can take positives from their performance, showing great resilience and creativity, especially in the second half.

 

Triton ladies 2s 6 Whitchurch ladies 3s  0

To say this was a tough match is an understatement. With triton scoring early in the game Whitchurch had a lot of defending to do in this match. With lots of new players on the pitch Whitchurch spent a lot of the match in their defending half.

With goal keeper Alice Snaith seeing the ball more than we’d like. The defenders did some fantastic work but Triton’s attacks just kept coming thick and fast. But it was all one sided with a few breaks and fantastic runs from our attackers. But Triton’s defence was also strong.

Spirits remained high on the pitch and we look forward to next week. Player of the match Jan Teggin made some great runs and tackles.

 

Whitchurch Men’s 2s 1 Crewe Men’s 4s 1

Whitchurch played their first game on the new astroturf at Sir John Talbots hoping to continue their strong start to the season.

Crewe fielded an experienced team who used all of that experience to frustrate the speed and pace of the Whitchurch attacks.

Crewe took an early lead as the Whitchurch side struggled to mount any meaningful attacks and this was how the score stayed until the half time break.

Whitchurch discussed the positives and improvements for the second half and went out and implemented them. Whitchurch started to dominate long periods of play and Martin Beecher levelled the score.

Whitchurch continued to apply pressure and both sides lost their heads for periods resulting in some rash tackles and cards reducing both teams to ten players.

Whitchurch finished the game with a hard earned point and are ready for next week’s away game at Knutsford.

Match Reports – 21-09-24

Lymm Men’s 2s 1 Whitchurch Men’s 2s 2

Whitchurch travelled away to Lymm for their first game of the new season and saw a tough game ahead.

Whitchurch had strong possession in the early parts of the game with good play from the back three being able to transfer the ball quickly to the forward players who were able to make good chances, resulting in a few short corners. From this Whitchurch would score their first goal of the campaign as a good slip from Craig Hockenhull fell to Ethan Gresty who was able to flick the ball just beyond the outstretched keeper putting Whitchurch one ahead. Lymm were slowly growing into the game and after an unfortunate green card for Whitchurch Lymm were able to quickly capitalise on the man advantage scoring not long after.

After a short regroup at half time Whitchurch put the pressure on again creating more good chances with some excellent saves from the Lymm keeper keeping the score level.

Chasing the second goal Whitchurch were finally able to find the winner after some good transitional play, Airan Jones was able to pick the ball up just inside the opposition half and play a line splitting pass, finding the run of Joe Sheridan who was able to run past the defender and with some quick stick skills roll the into the back of the net.

It was a tense final few minutes as Whitchurch held on and defended well as a team and kept Lymm out after they flooded players forward looking to level the game.

Whitchurch held on and came out 2-1 victors with a strong team performance and stand out performances from all players.

Whitchurch host Crewe 4’s next week and will be looking to take the good performance into that game.

 

Whitchurch Men’s 1s 5 Wilmslow Men’s 3s 0

Whitchurch 1s got their league campaign off to a flying start with a comprehensive 5-0 victory over Wilmslow 3s, marking the first league game on their brand-new pitch in style.

Billy Edwards opened the scoring for Whitchurch just 10 minutes into the match, latching onto a well-worked move to put the home side ahead. Their dominance continued as debutant George Dakin doubled the lead 10 minutes later with a composed finish, setting the tone for a confident first-half display.

Wilmslow struggled to gain any momentum, with Whitchurch controlling possession and dictating the pace of the game. The second half saw Steve Lloyd extend the lead further with a well-taken reverse shot, making it 3-0 and all but securing the result early on.

However, the game took a slight turn when a few cards left Whitchurch down to 10 men for periods, giving Wilmslow a chance to press forward. Despite this, Whitchurch’s defence held strong, and once back to full strength, George Dakin grabbed his second goal of the game with a clinical finish.

Jack Barnes put the icing on the cake with a fifth goal in the dying minutes, sealing an emphatic victory for Whitchurch. It was a statement win for the home side as they now turn their attention to next week’s clash against last year’s title contenders, Winnington Park.

 

Chester Ladies 2s 2 Whitchurch Ladies 1s 0

In a tightly contested match, Whitchurch Ladies 1s faced off against Chester Ladies 2s. The first half was a display of strong defensive strategies from both teams. Whitchurch had a chance to score with an excellent reverse stick shot from Lucy Ratcliffe, saved by the keeper. At the other end of the pitch, countless saves were made by Whitchurch keeper, Caroline Wynn, resulting in a 0-0 scoreline at halftime.

As the second half commenced, Chester Ladies 2s began to apply more pressure, which eventually paid off. Midway through the half, Chester broke the deadlock with a well-executed shot from a rebound, lifting it over the keeper, taking the lead 1-0. Whitchurch fought hard to equalise, gaining a short corner, resulting in a shot from Lisa Sullivan that went just wide of the post. The rest of the half, Chester’s defence remained resolute.

In the last 10 minutes of the match, Chester won a short corner and got lucky off a shot that was going wide taking a deflection off a Whitchurch defender leading to their second goal. Player of the match was awarded to Millie Edwards for her excellent defending in her first game back for Whitchurch.

Despite the loss, Whitchurch Ladies 1s showed great determination and teamwork throughout the game. They will look to bounce back in their next fixture.

 

Whitchurch ladies 3’s 2 Golborne 2’s 1

A great start to the season with a few new and returning players joining the 3’s. The whole team came together to welcome these players and also guide them to play some excellent hockey. There were some tense moments where Golborne made some great runs and did score in the first half. But Sue Read equalised before half time.

In the second half the accuracy of passes and quality of hockey increase and Erin Harnden scored a second goal for Whitchurch to give them a winning start to the season.

Match reports – 06-04-24

In the final weekend of matches for the season the ladies all finished on a high with victories.

Whitchurch ladies 1s 3 Chester ladies 3s 2

With the late arrival of the Chester keeper the game commenced with Chester fielding eleven outfield players and Whitchurch struggled in the early stages to cope with the extra player. Chester had a string of penalty corners from which they took the lead.

With the Chester keeper between the posts Whitchurch pushed forward and were soon back in the game as Hayley Kellett levelled the scores and it wasn’t long before Kellett scored her second goal to give Whitchurch a lead into the break.

Whitchurch started the second half controlling play and long periods of the game but failed to find the final touch in front of goal.

Chester levelled against the run of play and decided to remove their keeper and push for the win, Whitchurch couldn’t believe their luck and Tibby Gallier broke at pace through the Chester defence to give Whitchurch a hard-fought victory.

Wilmslow ladies 4s 1 Whitchurch ladies 2s 6

The ladies 2s have continued to improve throughout the season and the victory over Wilmslow gave them a well-deserved fifth place finish in the league.

Heidi Groom opened the scoring for Whitchurch with Freya Gresty getting a brace before the break.

The second half saw Gresty scoring another two goals before Amelie Morris got the final goal.

Whitchurch Ladies 3’s 1 Runcorn ladies’ development 0

The final match of the season was full of excitement and was very frustrating to watch. In the first few minutes Runcorn made their way to the Whitchurch dee and had some impressive shots at goal, luckily Whitchurch came alive and from that point they were in possession for most of the game.

At half time the score was 0-0 with goalkeeper Alice Snaith and the back line having very little to do in the game. There were a huge number of opportunities to score throughout and the impressive goal came from Sue Read halfway through the second half.

This was the third win out of the last four games. The team has grown throughout this season, and it was great to see them able to slow the play, make accurate passes and work fluidly as a team. I’m immensely proud to have been their captain this season and thank them for turning up each week and helping me through each match and look forward to the future with these amazing people.

Player of the match Freya Kellett.