Danby Ladies Hockey Club’s home win against Newcastle 4s boosts promotion bid

Danby came out with intense pressure from the first whistle.

The team wasted no time in attacking, with Newcastle working hard to form a solid defensive line to block the Danby balls. Despite the visitors' efforts, Danby’s attacking force, led by Nikki Graham and Katie Hodgson up front, created numerous chances in the Newcastle D.

It was Sarah Thompson who broke the deadlock, picking up a ball at the top of the D and expertly placing it in the back of the net.

Newcastle responded with renewed pressure, but Danby’s goalkeeper Josie Bowes was in formidable form, pulling off a series of stunning saves to deny the visitors.

Meanwhile, Hodgson continued her fine run of form from last week, combining well with Graham to create further chances, and it was Hodgson again who doubled Danby’s lead just before half-time, scoring with a sharp reverse sweep to make it 2-0.

The second half saw Newcastle push forward more aggressively, but Danby remained resolute in defence. Chloe Orell, playing with pace and precision down the left, built up several promising opportunities in the D, but Newcastle’s defense held firm.

Bowes continued to shine, calmly blocking Newcastle’s attempts to get back into the game with a series of excellent saves.

Midway through the second half, Danby were reduced to 10 players when Emma Hare was shown a green card after a tackle.

Despite the setback, Danby’s resilience didn’t falter, and they held firm defensively, with Alice Hogarth charging through the Newcastle midfield to create more attacking opportunities.

As the game drew to a close, Danby’s positioning and defensive strength ensured they maintained their 2-0 advantage.

With Bowes in goal and the team working together as a cohesive unit, Danby saw out the game comfortably, securing a crucial 2-0 win as they continue their push for promotion.

The player of the match was Bowes.

On Saturday, Whitby Ladies travelled to Middlesbrough to tackle Marton Furness, the two teams have not played each other for a number of years.

Whitby had a very strong squad of 16 players and stated the game with plenty of possession and good positioning.

Marton had some very strong players who could hit a ball with power, this saw the ball moving around the pitch quickly and very much from end to end.

After some very strong saves made by goalkeeper Kirsty Dixon the half-time score was 0-0.

The second half was very much the same, lots of passing from both teams, Marton were awarded several short corners which were saved by Dixon and the defence, these saves ensure it remained 0-0 until the final whistle.

Player of the match was Dixon for her outstanding goalkeeping skills.

Thank you to TipSea Wines for providing the Player of the Match and to Apollo Players, Whitby for sponsoring Dixon this season.