KENDAL ladies firsts travelled away to play Bowdon ladies seconds under floodlight last Saturday afternoon. Keen to start earning some more points away from home, Kendal started in possession and with plenty of territory, working the ball down both sides to put the Bowdon defence under pressure. Kendal’s midfield played some lovely through balls into their attacking corners and the Kendal forwards reacted and played with more height to ensure possession wasn’t lost. In the twenty-second minute of the game Celia Powell struck the ball from the penalty spot into the right-side of the goal, which Bowdon could only stop with the back of a stick. The umpire had to award Kendal a penalty stroke and yet again Vicky Whalley-Jones stepped up to the spot and neatly placed it into the back of the net. Kendal continued to apply pressure, with Bowdon also having their fair share of attacking play and penalty corners. Due to some feisty tackling, Kendal found themselves down to ten players and Bowdon thought they’d take advantage by sending some wild balls down the pitch and then across the D, but Kendal, organised by Ruth Sealey’s vocals from the goal, put their bodies on the line to keep a clean sheet going into half-time.

Excited by being ahead at the interval, Kendal were keen to continue their tight defence and play some composed attacking hockey and that they did. Excellent link up play down both sides, quick one and two touch hockey, and dynamic runs from the attackers meant Kendal were frequently in Bowdon’s D and earned themselves a number of penalty corners, one just going wide of the right post and another drag-flicked outside of the left post. It was only Bowdon who could get on the scoresheet with a strike from the left-side of the D, catching the edge of a Kendal stick on its way into the back of the net. Despite both teams efforts to get ahead, the game finished as a 1-1 draw.

Looking to continue their winning streak at home this Saturday, the ladies firsts take on Ben Rhydding ladies seconds.