Back to winning ways

It was back to league action for Hepworth with a home game against Battyeford who only had 11 players available for the match that was still one more than Hepworth could muster for the start as players were still on holiday and their injury list had been added to in recent weeks with a fractured ankle ligament damage and club captain McCluskey still out following a car accident. Hepworth had a re jigged formation which allowed centre half Lucy page to slip in to midfield and bolster the attack. A task she was keen to do and with only seven minutes on the clock she saw a shot blocked, just two minutes later Hannah Nicholl was one on one with the keeper and saw her shot go just wide. Dispite Hepworth having more of the ball and playing the better football it was Battyeford that came close first when a speculative long range shot beat Harper in goal and came back off the inside of the post. Hepworth used the slope to their advantage and kept surging forward Page was loving life as a midfielder and went on some surging runs, her running action reminiscent of Woody from Toy Story yet very effective. The end product shots however were not quite polished enough and often were straight at the keeper who did not look comfortable but had the knack of being in the right place at the right time. The home side were rarely troubled at the back but Pashley, Purchon and Kirk worked well and Kirky won everything in the air against a solid striker who used her size well. Amy whiteley was her usual strong and determined self in the tackle but always fair this was much disputed later in the game by the away manager who launched a foul and abusive attack on the official Mr Ian Preston who was close to play always and controlled the game well. He could have sent their manager from the field but kept his cool and brushed off the torrent of abuse. Hepworth had hoped to be several goals to the good by half time but went in to the break 0-0 not through lack of effort but more by good luck in the Battyeford teams favour. The deadlock was finally broken just five minutes into the second half when Hepworth were awarded a free kick some 22 yards out. Up stepped Becky Kirk who blasted an unstoppable effort into the top corner for her first goal for the club. The result was not in the bag however as Battyeford kept trying but were just lacking that bit of quality where as Hepworth had Forrest and Purchon running the show with Lucy Page revelling in her new role. Pashley and Brown stuck to their task and Nicholl grafted despite being in pain through injury. Hepworth brought on their 11th player midway through the half and this just settled the squad down somewhat as she was playing with an injury so was reluctant to tackle but used her pace well. The game was put to bed when on 65 minutes following a corner and scramble in the box the ball fell to Sophie King just inside the 18 yard box and she smashed her shot high into the net nearly taking the keeper with her. Not the most polished performance yet its 3 points and the result moves Hepworth up into fourth place in the league. The Keystone Europe Ltd Player of the match was awarded to Becky Kirk to go with her first goal of the season the brave few triumphed again.