HOCKEY: Magnificent seven from free-scoring Carrick Ladies

It is said that revenge is a dish best served cold and when Carrick Ladies' 1st XI lined out against Senior 2 opponents Derg Valley, the mid-afternoon temperature had dropped significantly.
Rachel Lynas in action for Carrick Ladies in their game with Derg Valley. INCT 06-018-PSBRachel Lynas in action for Carrick Ladies in their game with Derg Valley. INCT 06-018-PSB
Rachel Lynas in action for Carrick Ladies in their game with Derg Valley. INCT 06-018-PSB

Having lost their first encounter in Castlederg earlier in the season, Carrick were seeking to avenge that defeat but few of their supporters could have expected the 7-0 scoreline at the rainswept Amphitheatre.

Rachel Lynas (two), Amy Cross, Christine Waide (two), Natasha McWilliams and Lois Passmore found the net for the girls in green.

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The first quarter of the game showed clear indications of the differing styles of the two teams with Carrick playing a tight, close passing game while Derg Valley opted for a long ball game trying to find space behind the home defence.

On 15 minutes Carrick’s passing tactics paid dividends when a beautifully flowing move involving Player of the Match Emma Nichols, McWilliams and Waide, delivered the ball to Lynas to net the opening goal of the match.

Five minutes later Carrick captain Cross put her team two up and, only minutes after that, a well-worked penalty corner saw Waide divert home an inch-perfect Cross delivery.

A clearly stunned Derg Valley did their best to see out the half without incurring any further damage but they found themselves four adrift before the interval when Christine Waide ran half of the pitch to set up McWilliams for Carrick’s fourth.

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With the weather conditions deteriorating even further, Carrick again forced the pace in the second half and hit five when Waide netted an almost identical penalty corner play from Cross.

Derg Valley gamely stuck to their task but could do nothing to prevent Carrick’s sixth when Lynas netted her second goal of the match following a beautiful sequence of passing from the Carrick midfield and forward line.

With Julie Willis and Corrie Johnston in control at the back, coach Neil McConnell had been experimenting with playing the versatile Passmore in an attacking role. And with Passmore determined to get herself on the scoresheet it came as no surprise when she netted Carrick’s seventh late in the game.

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