Draw wrecks bid for top honours

HOCKEY: OLDHAM’S hopes of clinching the Greater Manchester Women’s Hockey League division one title are over for another season.

The local outfit had to beat Urmston to stand any chance of clinching top honours, but they had to settle for a point in a 1-1 draw.

Oldham fielded their strongest team, but it wasn’t enough to stop their opponents going a goal ahead on the stroke of half-time.

The local outfit stormed back and a reverse stick cross from Karen Rowley found Oona Cassidy, who made no mistake for the equaliser.

An almost identical move moments later opened up the Urmston defence, only for the strike to be cleared off the line.

Oldham’s efforts to score a winner were in vain, but at least they remain the only unbeaten team in the division.

Yvonne Jackson was Oldham’s player of the match.

The second team avoided the drop from division one with a superb 2-1 win over Bury.

Trailing 1-0 at half-time, Yvonne Jackson fired home the equaliser before Carren Bell’s fantastic flick put Oldham in front.

Oldham carried on their good form 24 hours later with 3-0 victory over Glossop.

Buoyed by their display against Bury, they ran out comfortable winners thanks to goals from Jordanna Boon and Amanda Smith (two).

Meanwhile, Oldham’s third team produced a fine performance to defeat their Stockport counterparts 3-2.

Sorcha Faulkner, player-of-the-match Rachel Geraghty and Debbie Alcock, with a great flick, were on target.

And they followed up with a 2-0 win over Stockport fourths. Francesca Lees and Alcock were on target.