Garstang 1st hosted Pendle 1st in a top of North Div 2 clash on Sat 15 Oct. Garstang started hesitantly with some poor passing and were pushed back by Pendle’s pace and good positional play. They conceded the first of several penalty corners (PCs) after only 2 minutes and Pendle scored from a ball that had not left the Dee. Two minutes later the ball was again taken early but fortunately Garstang defended well. Alanis Parkinson in the Garstang goal was in top form and settled well with her strong balletic clearances catching the eye. Donna Richardson made the first of several excellent clearances for the top of the Dee and Georgie Brumwell and Lindsay Thornhill were absorbing a wave of strong attacks by Pendle. After repeated PC s Rebecca Worthington broke free and mounted the first good Garstang attack. An excellent move up the wing by Georgie Brumwell reached Donna Richardson who bedazzled a Pendle defender with her juggling stick skills. Josie Rice made a superb full-length interception of a Pendle clearance and she Lyndsey Hayes and Kiery Horne started to hold the ball better in midfield relieving the pressure on the Garstang defence. Lily Helme came on after a long absence at University and her sheer pace added to that of Kiery Horne was at last a counterbalance to Pendle’s pace. After 20 minutes Lily made a great reverse stick shot on goal that prompted a good Pendle Keeper save. Garstang were fighting back and putting pressure on Pendle and Alice Marsden made a good break into their Dee. After 30 minutes Alansis Parkinson made a good save on her post and Rebecca Worthington made some threatening attacking runs and was joined by a resurgent Lindsay Thornhill. Georgie Brumwell cleared a late Pendle attack with aplomb and Garstang were a goal down at the break.

Garstang started the half with much better movement but conceded and early PC that was well cleared by Donna Richardson and her on form defence. Another Pendle PC shot was cleared well by Alanis and moments later she made a good foot save and powerful clearance. Garstang were down to 10 players for 5 mins and soaked up yet more pressure. The umpires then conferred as passions were running a bit too high and the players were duly warned. Josie Rice made another super interception and came near to scoring been thwarted by the Pendle Keeper who fell (unaided) and injured herself resulting in a 4 minute suspension of play. Lily Helme had a superb ‘turn and hit’ in the Pendle Dee but the shot just went past the left post. Moments later she made a strong cross run and showed the promise to come when she is fully fit. Pendle hit the Garstang post and Rebecca Worthington came very near with a shot that came within inches of the goal line after striking the Pendle Keeper. On 24 minute Garstang gained a PC and the Alice Marsden cannon nearly went through the Keeper's pads. Pendle came back strongly and had Garstang under some pressure until Josie Rice cleared the ball. On 33 minutes Pendle won a PC and put a wayward shot well over the bar. Near time at another PC Garstang defended really well and a defender just managed to clear of the line. 1 – 0 to Pendle at full time.

This was a hard game for Garstang against the strongest team in the Division and their fight back in the second half with three near misses was most commendable. However it was a pity that key players were missing and some were recovering from injury (Rice and Helme). To play Pendle and lose by one goal with only two subs was to quote Lady Bracknell ‘unfortunate’. Well done Pendle but look out later in the season!