Holly Oldham hits four as Harrogate Hockey Club Ladies 1st XI sink Fylde Hockey Club

Holly Oldham celebrates after completing her hat-trick during Harrogate Hockey Club Ladies 1s' home win over Fylde. Pictures: Gerard Binks

The Ainsty Road outfit followed up their victory at struggling Alderley Edge last time out with a 5-3 home success over a side who began Saturday’s contest third in Vitality Women’s Conference North.

The first half was evenly-contested, with both teams trying to play a fast-paced, attacking brand of hockey.

And it was Harrogate, urged on from the sidelines by coach Michael Hoare, who drew first blood.

Holly Oldham scores her third goal of the game to put Harrogate 4-2 up against Fylde at Ainsty Road.

An early short-corner was slipped left for Harriet Paine, who powerfully flicked the ball into the back of the net.

Fylde pulled level soon afterwards when a loose ball was allowed to bobble around in the home ‘D’ before eventually being dispatched by a visiting attacker.

Undeterred, ‘Gate were straight back on the offensive and Paine almost added her second of the match following a fine run which took her the length of the pitch.

Charlotte Crossman then forced a good one-on-one save from the Fylde keeper, before the prolific Holly Oldham restored Harrogate’s lead with a trademark reverse-stick effort.

Back came the visitors, and although ‘Gate keeper Coral Langridge made several good stops towards the end of the first half, she was powerless to prevent the Lancastrians leveling matters from a short-corner just before the interval.

The second period saw a dominant home side punish a tiring visiting team. Skipper Lucy Wood, the diving Tilly Hall and Julia Corominas all went close to moving the hosts back ahead, though it was left to player of the match Oldham to wrap up the three points.

Finding space inside the ‘D’ on three separate occasions, she rifled home a trio of clinical close-range finishes to end the match with four goals to her name and 11 for the season.

There was just time for Fylde’s impressive central midfielder to loop an effort over Langridge after some skillful approach play, but ‘Gate had already done more than enough.

Saturday’s success leaves Wood and her team-mates fifth in the table heading into their mid-season break.

Meanwhile, in the Yorkshire & North East Premier Division, Harrogate’s Men’s 1s suffered a 2-0 home reverse at the hands of Leeds 2s.