Harrogate Hockey Club Ladies 1s record opening win after coming out on top in seven-goal thriller
Harrogate Hockey Club Ladies 1s recorded their maiden victory of the 2026/27 season as they came out on top in a seven-goal thriller on Saturday afternoon.
Jaclyn Smith’s team have had to endure a tough couple of years, and suffered a second successive relegation when they dropped out of the Yorkshire & North East Premier Division at the end of last term.
They missed out on making a winning start to life in Division One after conceding a last-gasp equaliser at Driffield on the opening day, but were not to be denied by Newcastle 1s in what was their first home fixture.
Sarah Proctor fired Harrogate ahead with only six minutes on the clock, then doubled the hosts’ advantage after a quarter of an hour.
But Newcastle roared back into the contest and scored twice before half-time to level things up.
Anna Blyth restored the home advantage in the 50th minute, then struck again shortly afterwards to make it 4-2, and although the visitors pulled another goal back late on, ‘Gate were able to see the game out with their lead intact.
Harrogate Ladies 2s also enjoyed their first success of 2026/27 at the weekend having been held to a draw in round one.
Beth Crawford-Evans moved ‘Gate into a 21st-minute lead at Leeds 4s, before Jennifer Allen and Natalie Turner struck to put them in full control of Saturday’s Yorkshire Division One clash.
Crawford-Evans added her second of the contest to make it 4-0 just before the hour-mark, and although the visitors responded almost immediately, the damage had already been done.
In the Yorkshire & North East Premier Division, Harrogate Men’s 1s bounced back from their opening-day defeat at Doncaster 2s with a 2-1 home success over Leeds 2s.
Alberto Borras Manent found the back of the net after 10 minutes to put the Ainsty Road outfit in the ascendancy, however the West Yorkshiremen responded through Patrick McKane.
Captain Joe Horne would however decide matters in the 45th-minute when he scored following a penalty corner.
Harrogate Men’s 2s were another team to get up and running for the new term, courtesy of Saturday’s win on the road at Brigg 1s.
Last season’s Yorkshire Division Two champions were beaten by Driffield 1s in their first Division One outing, but responded with a 2-1 success.