Ace Blair doubles up as firsts bag point

HOCKEY:

DESPITE missing a handful of players, Oldham Women’s Hockey Club firsts earned a good point in a 3-3 draw against Wrexham at Newman College.

The hosts hoped to hit back after the previous week’s mauling by Alderley Edge, but found themselves behind when a deflected cross looped over keeper Sarah Simpson and a Wrexham player tapped it home.

Oldham, with Gillian Jones and Lesley Beddow in the starting XI after spells out, were soon on level terms as Rebecca Blair finished coolly from Karen Rowley’s flick-on.

The impressive Blair hit a post moments later, but she made no mistake when following-up Rachael Johnson’s shot which the Wrexham ’keeper and a team-mate fumbled on the line.

In a topsy-turvy North Women’s Hockey League Division Two South-West affair, the visitors restored parity before the break.

Oldham were back in front when a superb Jones pass picked out Emma Burns. She centred for Rowley, who was later sin-binned for foul language, to score.

Oldham were denied victory as Wrexham added a third.