Injury-hit Garstang start the new year on high note

With three senior players not available through injury and work commitments and three walking wounded, Garstang had a bare eleven players pending the arrival of Rachel Roe from the 2nd XI.

This game was a potential banana skin against a keen, young and quick Sefton side.

Nevertheless, Garstang started well and a fierce Di Roe strike ended up in the back of the net early on but the umpire thought Roe was out of the D when she unleashed her shot and disallowed the goal.

The game settled in to a pattern with Garstang dominating play but Sefton launched a number of quick counter attacks.

In the fifth minute, a powerful Alice Matthew’s shot cannoned straight at the keeper.

A breakaway goal by Garstang’s Rebecca Worthington was disallowed and in the 16th minute defender Jen Moss managed to stop a certain goal from a Sefton break after their forward beat keeper Sarah Skelton

In the 23rd minute, Garstang won their first penalty corner but Sefton defended well.

A minute later, Sefton won a corner after a Garstang foot stopped the ball in the D.

Time and time again, Sefton stopped attacks by Roe, Fran Summers and Worthington at the last minute and the Reds were frustrated not to have broken the deadlock at half-time.

Less than a minute into the second half, Sefton hit the Garstang post but Skelton was quick to clear.

The scare made Garstang go up a gear and they took the lead in the 16th minute after a superb passing combination between Roe and Worthington released Summers who rounded the keeper and tapped home.

Garstang made it two in the dying stages of the games as Matthews teed-up Worthington on the left wing.

Worthington sprinted into the D and went along the back line to beat a defender and the keeper to score a classic goal.

With seconds to go, Sefton won a corner but another diving save by Garstang keeper Skelton saw the ball fly out of the D.

Lyndsey Hayes was named player of the match for an outstanding performance.