Ben Rhydding Ladies win key match against Nottingham

This was a key match for the Ladies who have played some excellent hockey this season without just rewards, leaving them seventh in the league with Nottingham in fifth place.

Coupled with this was the desire to exorcise the ghosts from last year's defeat in Nottingham, as well as the somewhat closer defeat at home in the first half of this season.

Ben Rhydding stuck to their task from the whistle with composure, determination and an impressive display of flowing hockey.

From the outset Sarah Male and Kate Richardson distributed the ball quickly and effectively, releasing Melissa Reynard and Lucy Foxall on the wings. Their speed and variety of passes created numerous opportunities for centre-foward Selina Reidy and the supporting midfield.

Eventually the pressure told and after some clever running from Reidy and Catherine French up front to confuse the defence, Sarah Male deftly and calmly rounded the outcoming 'keeper to score one of her best goals of the season and take the visitors 1-0 up.

The Nottingham coach clearly gave them a stern half-time talk and the home side started the second-half aggressively with a number of long balls into Rhydding's half searching for their forwards.

Ismay MacDonald and Jodie Bridger defended superbly with solid tackles and calm distribution to Fran Holmes, Esther Kleibjets, Rachael Laycock and Helen Fisher in the half-back positions. All played consistently well, with strength in the tackles and vision in their passing and even when Nottingham equalised ten minutes into

the second-half, Rhydding never lost their composure.

On the rare occasions when Nottingham did threaten the goal, the young Holly Crank responded with a mature and responsible display of goalkeeping that explains her selection at national level.

Supported by MacDonald and Bridger, she enabled Rhydding to counter any attacks quickly and it was only minutes before they replied to the equaliser, Sarah Male again being rewarded for all her hard work with a fine individual effort following another darting run from midfield.

At last the calming words of coach Mike Thorneycroft and manager Pam Gibson seem finally to have sunk in and the visitors showed no signs of the jitters that have haunted them in previous matches.

As Nottingham flagged they played with continued composure, keeping possession of the ball and playing it confidently around the pitch to create the gaps. A lightening run from Foxall and a penetrating pass from the right wing found Reidy in the cirle who didn't need a second invitation to increase her goal tally making it 3-1.

A valuable three points for Rhydding who face local rivals Bradford at home on Saturday at 1.30pm. Thanks go to sponsors Sacco Mann and Northern Pump Suppliers as well as to the invaluable supporters, all of whom are welcome for this vital derby fixture.

Brooklands 1

Ben Rhydding Men 4

FOR the first 20 minutes of this Northern Premier League fixture Ben Rhydding were shocking, Passes were misplaced, tackles missed, marking non-existent.

It came as no surprise when Brooklands took a deserved lead and in truth the Cheshire outfit could have been further ahead.

Rhydding though are renowned for their Yorkshire grit. Substitutes McClive and Schofield grabbed the initiative and on the stroke of half-time Lambert was on hand to equalise from close range.

After the interval a rampant Ben Rhydding ran amok. Cutter and Wood combined to win a penalty and Matt Bell made no mistake from the spot. Minutes later Neil Sugden finished off a flowing move, smashing an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net - surely a contender for goal of the season,.

Finally, Australian Travis Taylor completed the rout firing past a motionless Brooklands 'keeper,

Although pleased with his side's latest victory skipper Sugden was still not content.

"Our finishing could have been better," he said.

Ben Rhydding lVs 2 Leeds 3

BEN Rhydding fourths travelled to Horsforth to take on Leeds Fourths in a crucial promotion match for both sides.

With captain Funnell missing with a back injury and Miles Timperley suffered a similar injury, Pratt and Priestley were drafted in.

Leeds started much the better of the two sides with Rhydding struggling to keep possession and Leeds creating the early chances.

Despite the best efforts of the Rhydding defence, the Leeds centre-half, who had obviously turned up too late to play for their second team, ran things from the start.

Within the first ten minutes the home team took the lead after rounding Barrett and firing low past Pratt.

Rhydding were unlucky not to go two down when from a short corner a flick from the same Leeds player flew past Pratt, only for Barrett to glance the goal bound shot away from the top corner.

Finally after 20 minutes Rhydding began to find their feet. Pickard and Matt Timperley released Dawson on the right. His cross was glanced by McMillan toward goal and although the 'keeper saved, the ball rebounded back to McMillan who slotted the ball through the 'keeper's legs to bring the scores level.

Rhydding created further chances with Pickard and both Simon and Matt Timperley running at the Leeds defence. Connor Dowley and Simon Timperley both went close before the half time whistle brought the half to close.

The second-half began as the first ended with Rhydding pressing for a second goal. Leeds were reduced to ten men when their right-back attempted to give Musgrave a 'Glasgow Kiss'. For the ten minutes that he was off the pitch Rhydding peppered the Leeds goal but failed to score and it was Leeds who went back in front when their centre-half dribbled through the Rhydding defence to score his second.

Despite the setback Rhydding responded well. Priestley, Matt Timperley and Dawson attacked down the right and fired good crosses in to the D. Desperate, clinical, 1970s Leeds United like defending stopped Rhydding from scoring.

Finally Rhydding equalised, when from a Musgrave shot off a short corner, Matt Timperley flicked the ball high into the net.

Rhydding pushed for a winner, while at the back Smith, Musgrave and Barrett stopped any Leeds attacks from threatening the Rhydding goal.

Against the run of play and with six minutes left, Leeds took the lead for the third time, when their centre-half scored his third.

Rhydding pushed virtually everything into attack and when the Leeds hat- trick hero was dismissed for his swinging tackle on John Dowley, Rhydding hopes were raised further.

Despite being camped in the Leeds half for the remaining five minutes and endless pressure on the Leeds goal, the home team held on for a 3-2 win to end Rhydding's unbeaten run of nine games.

Man-of-the-Match was awarded to Barrett for his spectacular goalline clearance although Smith was a close second following his faultless performance at left-back.

Ben Rhydding Vs 0 York 7

A thorough drubbing in the cold sleet by the league leaders certainly should have wiped the smiles off the beleaguered fifth team but spirits were still high, despite the scoreline.

From the off, the Ben Rhydding team players put in 100 per cent, working the ball well and pressing hard, but the speed of the young St Johns students and their accurate moving of the ball were just too much for the defensive abilities of the home team.

Up front, the speed of the Rhydding forwards was good, but the students' defensive line held strong, including some very good saves from the away 'keeper, whilst under repeated assault.

The fifth team have a rest week this weekend, and return on February 25 for a home game against Lincoln thirds, where they will be looking to consolidate their slightly safer league position.

Ben Rhydding Vls 2 Syngenta 1

The hockey may not have been sexy but the result was good, the Badgers fighting back from a goal down to win 2-1.

In the first-half the Badgers were generally a yard slower than their hosts, and time and again found themselves under pressure.

The colts Stuart Raw and Myles Locke both stood up to their task, and Oliver Musgrave made a couple of very good saves, although was helpless as a big hit into the D, was deflected passed him by an attacker and into the goal.

The Badgers worked hard to get themselves back into the game, Sam French, starting on the left wing, had the beating of his defender with his strong stick skills. A well-worked short corner routine saw Mike Nixon levelling the scores.

The half-time talk was about moving up a gear and putting some passes together, and an impressive team effort in the second-half saw Nixon scoring his second and the defence working well to keep the home side out. Stuart Raw earned the Man-of-the-Match for his performance.

Otliensians 0 Bingley 5

Otliensians entertained top-of-the-table Bingley Bees and finding themselves 2-0 down after only a few minutes they struggled to find any momentum.

With very little energy on the pitch and lacklustre passes, Bingley Bees found it easy to dominate the game. Despite the efforts of defenders Joy Marston and Sue Aldridge, the opposition went into the break 3-0 up.

Otliensians' performance improved during the second-half with a few near misses but they were unable to defend the barrage of attacks. Player-of-the- Match Becky Caisley battled hard in the middle but the Otley side failed to maintain their form from previous weeks.

Otliensians now rest until February 25 and are determined to recapture their form.