Senior League 3: DLHC 1XI 1-1 Holywood
Last Saturday saw the last match action of 2023 for the 1XI of Donaghadee Ladies Hockey Club and it was a big local derby with Holywood making the short hop to BGS, with both teams in the top five and only two points between them.
From the start Dee were soon putting pressure on the visitors’ defence, with lots of good work by the front five – especially down the left – but for all the efforts they could only create a couple of chances, none of which overly troubled the Holywood keeper.
Holywood countered on occasions but a well marshalled Donaghadee defensive unit meant they broke through once leaving things scoreless at quarter end.
A more even second quarter saw both sides push for a goal, and on the half hour Holywood thought they had broken the deadlock from a straight strike at a penalty corner, but it was disallowed for being too high.
A couple of minutes later Donaghadee countered through an inventive attack that started just inside the Holywood half. The ball was pushed on to a Holywood foot in the circle and just as Donaghadee reacted quickest to push it goalward the whistle blew for the penalty corner milliseconds before the ball crossed the line. Unfortunately for Donaghadee the resulting penalty corner went wide.
Still scoreless at half-time with both sides thinking they had scored!
Into the second half and the ball flew from end to end with both keepers making a couple of strong saves to keep the sides level. Donaghadee’s first meaningful attack of the second half saw some great work on the left of the circle by Kerrie Turtle to beat the keeper with Jess Moore sliding in at the back post to push the ball over the line just as a defender thought she could get it. 1-0 to Donaghadee.
Holywood then produced a dangerous attack late in the quarter and a resulting penalty corner for the visitors took a deflection to squeeze home to make it 1-1.
Donaghadee threw everything into the game in the final quarter as they searched for the win, with a superb double save by the Holywood keeper and shot off the post showing how close the Dee would come without the ball actually crossing the line again.
Holywood too had their chances to win the game but smart defending from the Dee ensured the honours ended even, with the two point gap the same at the end of the day as at the start.
The whole Donaghadee squad played their part in a well-fought draw, and the 1XI end the year sitting on 20 points, just five off Senior 3 leaders Castle, with still 2 games to the halfway point!
The club now has a well-earned break over the Christmas period with training starting back on Wednesday 3rd January in anticipation of the Friday night league game for the 2XI away to Owls, and the 1XI at home to Antrim on Saturday 6th January.
With thanks to match ball sponsor Burgess Performance Training and club sponsor Stanley Woods & Co Accountants for all their support this season.
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