Whitchurch Ladies 1sts 16

Rhyl Ladies 1sts 0

Whitchurch Ladies firsts entertained Rhyl at home this week with a strong squad of 13.

From the start Whitchurch pushed up the pitch putting lots of pressure on Rhyl who only kept Whitchurch away for a few minutes until Sarah Field started off scoring two from open play within minutes of each other.

Rhyl were taken aback by how quick Whitchurch were playing as defensive players Kezzie Hutchings, Chloe Lloyd and Anna Latham picked up any break.

With so much pressure from Whitchurch up front captain Catherine Winter-Gresty scored her first goal of the season from open play.

Millie Edwards held the middle pushing the ball wide allowing Izzy Huxley and Ellie Windsor to work together and be awarded a short corner from which Emma Harper scored their fourth.

Just before half-time Stephanie Stanton deflected a fifth giving Whitchurch a good lead.

After a good talk Whitchurch played in high spirits, playing fast and passing well around and Rhyl taking majority of possession as Jessica Carruthers took on the keeper and scored the first of the second half.

The couple of chances that Rhyl had were quickly cleared by keeper Maddy Sugden. Rhyl could not keep up with Whitchurch as Sarah Field was on fire and took advantage of the fact Rhyl were tiring and scored six goals from open play within the next 10 minutes, with great support from the team who kept sending in the ball.

A few short corners for Whitchurch and Catherine Winter-Gresty slotting the ball into the left corner of the goal from the top of the dee, shortly followed by Hebe Dixon making 14.

Whitchurch were determined to keep a clean sheet this week and held a strong defence.

Carruthers and Dixon both scored another each from open play before the final whistle went.

An amazing final score, 16-0 for Whitchurch and players’ player was awarded to a well-deserved Sarah Field.

Ladies Firsts play away at Timperley next week.

Oxton Ladies 4ths 0

Whitchurch Ladies 2nds 2

After the excitement of last week’s win, Whitchurch arrived at Oxton in a confident mood for the game.

The game began with Whitchurch battling the wind as well as the opposition.

Despite this they stayed strong with Emma Clarke and Catherine Reece-Gresty creating a strong defence.

Ellie Pearson and Holly Edwards worked together as inners, making numerous attacks, which before long, Nichola Forster scored off, leaving the result as 1-0 by half-time.

Oxton fought back in the second half, but Beth Wright made some incredible saves in goal to keep Whitchurch in the lead.

Tracy Tolhurst made her debut for the season, leading some beautiful attacks down the left-hand side of the pitch, assisted by Edina Jones.

An attack down the right side by Martha Teggin and Holly Gilbert resulted in a short corner from which Phoebe Jones scored.

Molly Fry was awarded player of the match.

Whitchurch Men’s 1sts 3

Alderley Edge Men’s 5ths 0

Whitchurch started the second half of the season with a good win at home against a 10-man Alderley Edge side.

With the opposition only being able to field 10 players, and Whitchurch having a couple of substitutes of their own the Reds knew they had a good chance to make numbers count, but Alderley Edge brought some strong players and more than held their own.

The game started evenly enough, with both teams trying to keep the ball and build play carefully, but first-game-back syndrome kicked in and passes weren’t what they could have been and everything just lacked the spark that normally defines a Whitchurch game. Alderley Edge suffered less from this as they were already trying to accommodate being a player down so were taking extra care, but Whitchurch were trying to make things happen that just didn’t quite work and it meant frustrations built up.

Some good runs were made, some great tackles were won, and Craig Hockenhull was unlucky on a couple of occasions trying to get the last touch on some quick hits into the dee after making excellent runs, but Whitchurch just couldn’t quite put the finishing touches on that would normally happen for them.

They did finally go ahead in the first half as they’d built up pressure in the opposition half, and won a long corner that Dale Seymour took quickly and drove into the dee mostly unchallenged before getting a shot away with a deceiving pace on it that beat the keeper. At the other end, Paul Leigh made another signature diving save to prevent the equaliser, and the Reds went into the break one-up.

Some great work up the length of the pitch won a short corner, and Foulkes injected to the first castle who sent it straight back to him and he tucked it away for the Reds’ second. Two minutes later and Whitchurch had a third, with a clearance from the back going from player to player across the width of the pitch and up the right before being fired into the dee for a simple tap-in by Nick Cooper.

Clwb Hoci Eirias 3rds 2

Whitchurch Men’s 2nds 3

After the four-week Christmas break, the Men’s seconds’ first fixture of 2020 saw them presented with a tricky trip to Colwyn Bay to face Eirias 3rds.

It was a swift Whitchurch counter-attack that led to the first goal of the game. Will Snaith started a move that found Luke Beddow, who did well to swivel and get a shot on goal, but Joe Faithfull had drifted into the dee from the right and neatly deflected the shot past the stranded keeper.

It was from another counter-attack that the seconds doubled their lead and a penalty flick was awarded. Euan Morris stepped forward to take responsibility. Morris dispatched the ball high into the top corner to give Whitchurch a half-time 2-0 lead.

With 15 minutes to go Whitchurch broke dangerously again and the ball found its way to Beddow in the dee and he calmly slotted the ball past the advancing keeper to give Whitchurch a 3-0 lead.

Maybe at this point a little complacency set in to the Whitchurch play, or maybe Eirias managed to dial up the intensity as they scored two quick goals.

With Eirias sensing an unlikely draw, but time running out, Whitchurch were defending desperately. Every time the ball was cleared Eirias brought it straight back to the Whitchurch dee. There was genuine relief from the Whitchurch players as Morris brilliantly killed time in the far corner of the pitch and the final whistle was blown.

The next game is at home to Winnington Park 4ths.