Folk, L1s match report from the 23 Sep game against Neston. Well done L1s!
On Sat the 23rd of Sep Garstang Ladies 1s played Neston in their first NW Premier Division match of the season. Garstang’s team;- with several new players, chose to play a new formation and this was a key test against opposition who had beaten us twice last season.
Neston started well for the first few minutes pressing Garstang on to the defensive. Then Livy Cottam lit up the Garstang attack with a fast diagonal run. Her pass across the D did not go to stick but it was the first of numerous near scoring misses. A minute later on another run she created a penalty corner chance. A swift injection saw a raised drag flick forcing the Neston keeper to make a paddle save. Ali O’Donnell then hit her pads with a follow-on shot. Garstang had at last rediscovered their short passing game and for the next twelve minutes had Neston under some pressure with great work by Minnie Rogers on the right wing. Nevertheless, Neston’s young well drilled side remained a constant danger on the break. Neston settled and the game became more even. Garstang continued to have a series of near misses in front of goal. In particular after nineteen minutes a break by Ali O’Donnell saw a diving Gemma Trickett just miss contact with the ball;- in front of an open goal. Neston came back strongly and Garstang Keeper Sarah Hart made an excellent lunge across to stop a powerful shot on her post. Both teams had settled and were playing quality a passing game. In particular Rosie Atkinson’s dominant play in mid field gave Garstang a degree of advantage. Garstang had yet another chance go awry at another break by Livy Cottam. At last;- after thirty minutes, Garstang got their noses in front of Neston. Rosie Atkinson made a super interception of a Neston pass, made the break in to the D and passed to Gemma Trickett. Gemma raised the ball to the left of the keeper to give Garstang a deserved 1-0 lead before half time.
At the start of the second half Garstang put pressure on Neston with Captain Donna Richardson playing further forward and Rosie Atkinson launching attack after attack from mid field to feed Ali O’Donnell. Neston remained dangerous on the break and were defending well. Garstang had a sharp reminder after seven minutes when Minnie Rogers saved their bacon with a crucial defensive interception at the top of the D with an open goal behind her. Chances came and went as Mel Gee started some good runs up the right wing. Donna Richardson made a show case display in midfield and after twenty minutes Gemma Trickett hit the keeper’s pads. Garstang then wasted a penalty corner. Neston broke back and a lob across the goal saw more great work by Garstang Keeper Sarah Hart as she made a full stretch paddle save deflecting the ball to the side. After a card against Garstang every umpire decision seemed to go against us. After twenty-five minutes;- as in the first half, Gemma Trickett broke the stalemate. Directly in front of goal she hit the keeper’s pads hard and then collected the rebound to repeat her raised shot to the left of the Keeper giving Garstang the cushion of a 2-0 lead. Three minutes later Neston got very close to scoring but Sarah Hart’s high quality ground work just kept the ball the right side of the line. Garstang dominated the last five minutes of play and had a series of late penalty corners including one at full time.
After a difficult series of pre-season games against very strong opposition Garstang Ladies 1st seem to have settled as a team. The bold change of formation seems to have given them back their short game and their strength in midfield is a potent factor. Neston were a strong, young well drilled side so this win adds to the promise shown.
Gemma Trickett was voted Player of the Match by the team.

Author & Photo Credit : Charles Jackman