Slaz Ladies 1sts travelled all the way to Alnwick in their first game against the North East team.
As a team which had finished high in the league last season, the Horbury side knew they would be playing a tough match, but came out of it with the first win of the season.
After a loss and a draw, in their opening games, the team had changed to a new 3-4-3 formation and it paid dividends. Within the first 15 minutes, the deadlock was broken through an individual effort from Sarah Hobbs, dribbling it from the half way line, and finishing it with an unstoppable strike into the bottom corner.
With a goal on the board, Slaz settled into the game, playing some fluid hockey and holding their own against the more experienced team.
This sustained pressure was awarded with a short corner 10 minutes later, leading to the second. The ball was hit out to Captain Claire Mills who passed it through to Mandy Sowerby, setting up Andrea Wallace to knock it past the keeper.
While it seemed as though Slaz were on the ascendence, Alnwick were not going to let them have all their own way. Within 10 minutes, they orchestrated a fluid move to being the deficit back to 1. The ball played across the goal with an unmarked striker on stand by to touch it in (2-1).
The second half was far more evenly matched. Slaz struggled to convert their pressure into a further goal, and a strong back line performance maintained their lead. However as the second half drew on, it was the Horbury team who manufactured a final goal to put the game beyond doubt. Ailish Hendry played a disguised pass to Elle Poskett, who took on the Alnwick back line and set up Jessica Rudge for a simple tap in.
The game ended 3-1 to Slaz, who host Newcastle University 1st Team next week (1:30pm at Slazenger Sport Club, Horbury)
