Take a bow Karen!

KAREN Rowley tries to break clear.

HOCKEY: OLDHAM firsts are up to third place in Division Two South-West of the North Manchester Women’s Hockey League after recording a 3-2 victory over Bowdon at Newman College.

The hosts pressed from the start, with the forwards closing down space quickly.

It was no surprise when Oldham drew first blood with a move involving Fran Barlow and Karen Rowley, which ended with an unmarked Louise Howard turning the ball in off a post.

With their tails up, the home side continued to attack at will, with sweeper Lelsey Beddow spraying some accurate balls forward from the 16-yard line.

With Staniland sinbinned, Oldham had to play out the first three minutes of the second half with 10 players. Sensing an opportunity to pull a goal back, Bowdon piled forward and forced the ball home from a short corner.

Rowley, who had helped to create all three goals, was outstanding for Oldham, but was denied a goal by a great save from the Bowdon ’keeper.

The home side held on for their third win on the spin and, with only two games remaining, they have high hopes of extending that sequence to five.



OLDHAM’S second team held promotion hopefuls City of Manchester to a 1-1 draw.

Skipper Jordanna Rawlinson put Oldham ahead — she tucked away the ball at the back post — but City of Manchester equalised from a short corner before the break.

It was primarily backs-to-the-wall stuff for Oldham in the second half, but with defender Sarah Barlow and ’keeper Sarah Simopson excelling, they claimed a useful point in their battle to beat the drop.