Ben Rhydding ladies ease their way up the league

Preston Leyland 0

Ben Rhydding Ladies eased their way up the league table with a workmanlike victory over visitors Preston on Saturday.

Preston have always been a difficult side for Ben Rhydding to overcome, so this disciplined performance was welcomed by supporters, who for the first time this season were not left with a nailbiting climax to the match.

During a bright, lively start, the home side made the best of the opening exchanges and soon took control of the midfield. Sarah Male, industrious as ever, gave the visitors plenty to think about, working well with Katie Richardson and Melissa Reynard to create numerous opportunities for the forwards.

Male soon capitalised on one such attack to open the scoring with the simplest of tap-ins after neat approach play from Melanie Scott and Sel Reidy. Reidy was tireless as a front runner, creating space and opportunities, beating defenders on numerous occasions.

Reidy's superb touch from a Jodie Bridger free hit gave the 'keeper no chance and the home side were dismayed as the resulting goal was disallowed for an apparent foul.

Preston were not about to be allowed back into this game and the Ilkley outfit continued their solid performance into the second-half, Bridger enjoying a fine game marshalling central defence, ably supported by Jackie Barrett and captain Rachel Laycock to create havoc down the flanks.

Preston missed the services of one of their key front runners and never really gave the defence too much to think about, allowing Ben Rhydding to register their first clean sheet of the season.

It was fitting that Reidy should seal the match with another touch from a thundering Male free hit. For once Rhydding didn't capitulate and let in a couple of goals just to keep the game alive (as seems to have been typical of previous weeks).

The Yorkshire side now look forward to their trip to league leaders Aldridge on Saturday, where they will hope to continue their winning ways against a side with five wins to their name this season.

Ben Rhydding Firsts 2

Rotherham 0

BEN Rhydding Men left it late in the day to clinch victory over struggling Rotherham. However, two goals in the final nine minutes proved decisive.

This North Premier League fixture seemed destined to finish nil-nil, but Mike Rippon had other ideas. The Rotherham 'keeper made a series of fine saves but it was economics graduate Rippon who had the nous and skill to place a short corner low into the bottom corner of the net.

Matt Bell added a second with a neat deflection. The cornerstone of this latest triumph was Rhydding's centre-back pairing of Smith and Foster.

These stalwarts combined strength and speed to limit Rotherham to just two goal attempts. Ben Rhydding's supporters were heartened by the return of midfielder Ian McClive.

Bath 2

Ben Rhydding 6

BEN Rhydding Men's Veterans' squad had the unenviable experience of travelling all the way to Bath for what was still supposedly a regional round of the National Cup.

Despite the distance the team assembled a full squad barring John Dowley (hamstring), John Skinner (family commitments) and Warwick Smither (holiday).

Accompanied by a small band of supporters the team put on an excellent display of often breathtaking hockey marred only by injury to their ex-Welsh international David Cutter after he clinically opened the scoring.

Further first-half goals came from Richard Thornton, who rolled back the years with a tremendous performance, Jon Till, who worked unselfishly throughout, and the gifted and composed Brian Kempson.

The second-half saw Rhydding maintain their dominance with further goals from Richard Dawson and a reflex deflection by Rhydding's first team manager Hugh Lambert from a Neil Horsman short corner strike.

Horsman, skipper Andy Locke, probably one of the best players never to win an international cap, and supervet Alistair Woodhead looked composed in defence while Matt Milbourne and the indefatigable Ian Cussons worked tirelessly in midfield.

There were cameo performances by Vet's manager Robin Snook and David Eldridge before 'keeper Butch Terry was beaten by two late short corner strikes.

Coach Mark French, sidelined following recent surgery, will have been pleased with some of the moves the team put together.

Both he and the squad will know that if they are to progress further they will have to cut out some sloppy passing and be far more assured than they were for parts of this game.

B Rhydding Ladies lls 1

Newcastle University 1

Two high calibre teams put on a fine display of crowd pleasing hockey under floodlights in an impossibly close match.

A draw was probably the right result after a gritty and fierce battle ensued with several periods of grid lock.

Newcastle, young and fit worked the ball hard but the midfield of Goodwin, Dowley and Skirrow responded with interest and guts.

Newcastle's goal was against the run of play as Rhydding had begun to keep quality possession in their 25 for a good 15 minutes, however the tide turned for a while and Newcastle were as gutted as Rhydding were relieved when they missed a penalty stroke that could have stretched their lead.

Catherine French's wise old head made an excellent decision in chancing an acute ball for young Lucy Foxall to run on to, certain that no one other than her would have the tiniest chance of reaching it. Foxall's lethal pace enabled her to make the ball and convert beautifully to level the scores.

The remainder of the game saw Dot Mainwaring unceasingly provide nuisance factor to the Newcastle centre forward and Vicky Winters at sweeper gave great service to the dynamic Fisher on the left who was busy all game. Possibly the best game this league has seen so far and a well earned point.

Wakefield Thirds 2

B Rhydding Thirds 2

Ben Rhydding threes toured the sights of Barnsley before facing Wakefield in a tight mid-table fixture. The homeside had the majority of chances in the first-half but Ben Rhydding's counter-attacking pace also gave their defence plenty to think about. Outstanding positional play by Man-of-the-Match Oliver Musgrave in goal meant that at half-time it was 0-0.

Both sides committed more in attack for the second-half and this paid off first for Wakefield.

Ben Rhydding showed belief in replying soon after with an intelligent lifted shot from Robbie Hatfield after an attacking short corner had broken down. Hatfield also converted a conventional short corner move but the lead was short lived as Wakefield scored from open play.

Rhydding Sixths 1

Doncaster 2

The Badgers have had some close encounters with Doncaster and this match was no exception, and provided plenty of quality hockey.

With several key players missing, the Badgers were pleased to have Mike Thornicroft running their midfield with Mike Nixon and Robert Jackson working tirelessly in support. The two young full-backs Myles Locke and Stuart Raw both had outstanding games.

Doncaster held a 1-0 lead at half-time but then Rhydding increased their tempo and levelled through Thornicroft. Doncaster somehow scrambled a winner as the Badgers succumbed to their first defeat of the season.