A bright and mild Saturday afternoon sent the Driffield ladies out with a definite spring in their step this week. The ladies were facing the team who currently head the table, City of York L2’s. When they played York earlier in the season it was a tough, fast paced game where Driffield were narrowly defeated, 2-1 so this would not be a walk in the park.

Driffield started with the push back and a forward ball from centre Di Levitt to right wing, Lauren Dinsdale-Young saw Driffield immediately gain ground. However, the girls were quickly met with a solid York defence. Recycling the ball through the middle to their key player, number 3, York began their attack. However, this was, again, short lived as they were successfully disarmed before they looked dangerous.

Driffield regained possession, composed and tactical play from the midfield Beth Dinsdale-Young, Sophie Watson and Bry Sykes laid foundations for another break into the D, finding a York foot the girls had their opportunity for easy points. A solid injection from Kathryn Bumby and a clean strike top D from Nicola Guthrie was cleanly deflected into the back of the net by a York defender putting Driffield 1-0 up.

York were not taking this lightly and fought hard, one of their players earning themselves a green card. A period of end to end play kept both teams on their toes and tested all lines on the field. The defenders Ellen Calder, Helen Holdsworth and Co-Captain Charlotte Smith demonstrated excellent play holding the fort nicely and keeper Becks Lalor ensuring that any attempts on goal were not fruitful. However, a foot within the D found York with their first penalty corner of the match. Despite quick reactions on taking, the Driffield defence were unable to deflect the perfect drag flick that brought York the goal they needed to even the score just before half time.

Half Time Score: Driffield L2’s 1-1 York L2’s

Co-Captain Jenny Dawson led the half time team talks and the squad went back out to the level game. York pressured Driffield hard forcing much of the play to the right but wingers Chloe Rhodes and Lauren Johnstone worked hard to keep pace and solidarity. Their efforts were soon rewarded when a drive from the wing and a pass forwards sent Bumby storming into the York D where some tidy play saw her rattle the backboard and Driffield take the lead back.

This fuelled York and they rallied, playing at pace the end to end game play continued testing all players fitness, and patience, seeing another green card awarded to a player on each team.

With both teams down to 10 players, a scuffle in the D, and York were rewarded with another penalty corner with just 5 minutes on the clock. Tensions were high as the ball was pulled out quickly, finding the striker the Driffield defence closed down her options forcing a slip to the left but a fast sweep from the York attacker saw the ball sneak past Lalor levelling the score once more.

Try as they might Driffield could not find that extra goal to take themselves back in the lead but their structure, fitness and skill saw them maintain strength against the top of the league and it was, certainly, a great performance.

With just 3 points separating 2nd, 3rd and 4th place in the league it is still all to play for in the final weeks; the ladies travel to play Kingston-upon-Hull L2’s next week and will be looking for a win to secure their position.

Thanks as always to the team at The Spread Eagle for teas - by all accounts, highly sought after by the York ladies!

Full Time Score: Driffield L2’s 2-2 City of York L2’s

Girly: Becks Lalor

Driffield Hockey Club

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