First team beaten at Bowdon but other Forest sides make winning starts

Pendle Forest Hockey Club battled hard away to Bowdon 2 but started the Women's Division One North season with a 2-0 defeat.

New players Anna Whittle and Erin Scott made their debuts as Forest faced the newly-promoted Altrincham club in English hockey’s second tier.

The hosts took the lead after nine minutes with an airborne strike from Chloe Roberts.

Goalkeeper Laura Kendal was injured at the time after taking a body shot.

Martha McAuley's clearance denied Bowdon a second and Forest began to threaten too, though Hannah Metcalf was well tackled after a driving run down the right.

Scott earned a penalty corner, from which Lisa Crew found Metcalf for a diving deflection, which the Bowdon keeper got her body behind.

Roberts doubled her side's lead on 22 minutes but Kendall was determined not to concede again, giving a player of the match performance.

Momentum shifted Forest's way and a bad tackle on Charlotte Hartley resulted in a green card for Roberts, though Freya Bythell received one for the visitors soon afterwards.

Forest pressed and created numerous chances but couldn't get on the scoreboard and it remained 2-0.

They face another newly-promoted club, Leicester City 1, in the first game of the season at Pendle Vale this Saturday at 11.30am.

Pendle Forest 2 began their North West Two North campaign with a 4-2 win at Kirkby Lonsdale 1.

All the goals came in the second half and Forest twice came from behind, Karen Wignall scoring their first equaliser.

Three goals in six minutes then sealed the points, Evie Walne scoring twice before Catherine Kilgallon wrapped up the win for Forest, who host Sedbergh 1 on Saturday (1.15).

The only Pendle side to start the season on home ground were Forest 3, who defeated Southport 2 2-1 in NW Four North Central.

They went straight onto the attack with a new-look line-up and Claire Birkett tested the Southport keeper with an early shot before opening the scoring on 14 minutes.

The visitors struggled to find a way through the Pendle midfield, in which Maddie Oyston, Maia Leeds and Eleanor Cope all impressed on debut, though Southport equalised from a short corner on the stroke of half-time.

Forest pushed forward in the second half as Claire Bramley, Hannah Boyden, Birkett and Cope all had shots on goal but it was Freya Sugden who scored the winner on 48 minutes.

Forest 3 visit Leyland & Chorley 2 on Saturday.