Pendle Forest 1sts 1

Leeds University 0

PENDLE Forest ran out 1-0 winners against Leeds University, to extend their incredible unbeaten run to 81 games and maintain their 100 per cent start to the season.

Promoted Forest have won all seven games in North Hockey Women’s League Premier Division are are four points clear of Wakefield Ladies.

Leeds started brightly and pinned Forest in their own half, as the Yorkshire side looked to end Forest’s long standing unbeaten run.

But despite their early pressure, Leeds were unable to fashion a chance and didn’t look like breaking down a compact Forest defence.

Against the run of play, Forest were able to win themselves a penalty corner, Lisa Crewe’s strike was heading wide, but Freya Bythell stormed in at the left post to deflect the ball into the back of the net.

Leeds continued to apply the pressure and would have been level had goalkeeper Laura Kendell not made an outstanding outstretched stick save to keep the score at 1-0.

Hayley Baines was then given a green card for a stick tackle down the wing, but Forest held on until half-time.

The home side tried to double their lead early in the second half. Crewe’s surging run into the attacking D was thwarted but it put Forest on the front foot immediately.

Thea Cormack and Bythell were then given green cards for failing to give Leeds five metres. Soon after, a Leeds player found herself in the sin bin for a bad stick tackle.

Forest then received further bookings, in what was a flurry of cards, Olivia Bythell was given two minutes in the sin bin for obstruction.

But Pendle stayed disciplined and some strong tackles from player of the match Jan Cormack helped her side hold on for the points to extend the run.

Meanwhile Pendle Forest’s second team lost 2-1 to Garstang in a game they dominated.

Pendle missed countless opportunities before Garstang took the lead against the run of play.

The lead didn’t last long, as Rebecca Whitham’s perfectly weighted pass found Zoe Kidney, who’s cross was converted by Judith Hind.

Forest continued to pressure the Garstang defence but gave away a penalty corner on the stroke of half time, which Garstang scored from to claim the spoils.