Danby 1s work hard for 2-1 win at Durham, Whitby and Danby 2s lose out

In the first minute Danby were defending a Durham short corner. Alice Hogarth was quick off the line to the top of the D and a mid-air block from Christine Tarrant saved the home team from scoring so early in the game.

Danby soon settled and found some rhythm with some nice play and link up from Kath, Rosie and Alice Hogarth, Bronwyn Hodgson, Claire Stringer and Millie Cook, who were all working extremely hard.

An unbelievably strong run from Alice Hogarth who intercepted a Durham pass and controlled the ball to regain possession, swiftly passing to Ellis Price who kept the ball alive forcing Durham to intercept and gain a long corner. There was some good pressure down the left wing between Plum Sweet and Lily Harland who linked up well creating some good chances.

Minutes later Alice Hogarth fed a lovely ball through to Price who managed to find Harland, dribbling past two Durham defenders to shoot with the Durham keeper keeping it 0-0 with a save.

Durham had a quick response from an intercepted pass which left Danby defenders exposed but Grace Brown ran the full length of the D to amazingly save the shot on the goal-line sending it just wide.

Four minutes before the end of the first half Catherine Adamson made another lovely save with her stick to keep it goalless.

Danby started well in the second half having a good amount of possession but Durham were not allowing them to capitalise on this.

Man-marking every ball and making it incredibly difficult to press, they stayed strong and created a lovely string of passes down the line resulting in several attempts in the D.

Unfortunately, Danby had a player sent off halfway into the second half and suffered three consecutive short corners which were defended by the visitors’ defiant back line which Durham just could not breakdown, the Durham attack was relentless but with 12 minutes to go Danby were awarded their first short corner of the game.

Harland injected to Sweet at the top of the D who smashed a shot on target which was well-saved by Durham’s keeper, Alice Hogarth was quick to the rebound and she also struck on target but Rosie Hogarth managed to get the loose ball and score to make it 1-0.

The last 10 minutes of the game was relentless defending and yet again Danby had several consecutive short corners to defend, somehow managing to hold their lead.

The resolute defence was holding it together when Pippa Middlemass miraculously managed to save a shot, reaching across the goal-line somehow holding on to Danby’s 1-0 win.

Joint player of the match was unsurprisingly and very well deserved with Brown and Adamson sharing the plaudits.

On Saturday, Danby 2s travelled to Northallerton for a competitive encounter that ultimately ended in a narrow 2-1 defeat.

Northallerton started the match strongly, launching a series of powerful attacks. Despite the early pressure, Danby held firm, calmly deflecting the attacks and maintaining their composure at the back. After sustained effort, Northallerton eventually broke through and scored the opening goal.

Danby responded well, remaining composed in possession and beginning to apply pressure to the Northallerton defence.

Ellie Maud played a key role in the midfield, working hard to distribute the ball out to the wings and support the Danby attack. However, Northallerton formed a counter attack, catching Danby unprepared and allowing them to score their second goal.

After half-time, Danby regrouped and entered the second half with renewed determination. Eva Gallon and Emily Spark combined effectively up the right wing, working tirelessly to create opportunities and test the Northallerton goal with several attempts.

Twenty-five minutes into the second half, Danby were awarded a penalty corner. Deb Callaghan calmly received the ball and distributed it to Lauren Tindall, who finished confidently to bring Danby back into the game and make the scoreline 2-1.

With 10 minutes remaining, Danby intensified the pressure in search of an equaliser, producing several promising attempts on goal. Despite their efforts, they were unable to convert their chances before the final whistle.

Player of the Match was awarded to Gallon for her relentless work pressing the Northallerton defence and creating multiple attacking opportunities for Danby.

Despite the scoreline, Danby worked efficiently as a team and delivered a determined performance.

Whitby Ladies played their final home game of the season against league leaders Durham City.

Durham showed their quality early on, building momentum in the first half and taking a 3-0 lead into half-time.

Despite the scoreline, Whitby continued to battle throughout, showing determination and teamwork against a very strong opposition.

Durham added four more goals in the second half, securing the win.

There were, however, several standout performances for Whitby. Goalkeeper Kirsty Dixon was sensational, making a string of impressive saves.

In defence, Catherine Lodge delivered an outstanding performance at left-back, putting in crucial tackles and clearances. Her efforts were rightly recognised as she was named Player of the Match.

Also playing in defence, Michelle Paling proved to be a real force to be reckoned with, working tirelessly and challenging Durham at every opportunity.

While the result didn’t go Whitby’s way, the team showed plenty of resilience and spirit against the leaders. With three games still left to play this season, Whitby will aim to build on their performance and finish the campaign strongly.