20/01/2001 - Didsbury Northern Is 4 Southport IIs 1

The post Christmas campaign started with Didsbury's unbeaten home record under threat from a Southport side fresh from a success over Chester which had lifted them into third place in the league.

The game started at a frantic pace with mistakes from both sides and tempers ran high with one or two interesting umpiring decisions. Jordan and Hogan two of Didsburys midfield dynamos soon found themselves in the umpires notebook with similar fits of petulance.

Northerns problems with the umpires continued as first a flick was denied them when Gold was upended rounding the keeper and then an extravagant decision by the home umpire led to Southport opening the scoring. As play broke down outside the Didsbury D the ball was kicked through to the forward who took his opportunity superbly cracking it passed a bemused Hurst in goal.

As the first half wore on Didsbury brushed away their Christmas cobwebs and begun to play with more assertion. They should have equalised just before the break when a save from Gold’s shot fell to Jordan who blazed the ball onto the base of the post with the goal at his mercy.

One – Nil at the break and a very even battle but the second half was a different story. Didsbury started playing the passing game that has seen them beaten only once this season and the complexion of the game changed completely. They buzzed around the Southport players tackling with ferocity and passing with speed and accuracy and it wasn’t long before the pressure paid off.

It came from a moment of audacious skill down the left wing by forward Mark Landon who beat several players before crossing for Hogan to finish with a first time shot into the far corner.

Southport began to push forward and this became their downfall as Northern hit them on the break time and again with some breath taking counter attacking hockey. The second goal came almost immediately. A lightning move through the centre, then Stanger played the ball across goal for Gold to clip home rather fortunately it must be said from one yard.

Another quick break, this time down the right, great interplay between Jack and Jordan and a pin point cross from Jack left Booth with a tap in at the far post for the third. Powerful running down the right by Jordan and a perfect cut back to Stanger led to the fourth as he fed Gold for a falling reverse stick finish. It may have been more as well but the final whistle went with Gold running clear through on goal.

A overcast day was brightened by some champagne hockey and the three points were well deserved as Didsbury continued their promotion push

27/01/2001 - Deeside Ramblers IIs 0 Didsbury Northern Is 4

Post Christmas lethargy still lurking in Didsbury's game but they still managed to destroy a good Deeside Ramblers side to put them in undeserved relegation trouble.

Didsbury were under pressure from the off, with Deeside holding the ball well and making good inroads down Didsbury's flanks. A combination of desperate defence from Bye and Fernandez as well as fantastic work from Man of the Match Hurst in goal kept the marauding Deeside from scoring.

Then out of the blue, Didsbury managed to string a few passes together and set Jordan on his way. With a bit of pace he entered the D unchallenged and blasted a shot into the roof that the keeper never saw. 1-0 to Didsbury at halftime and completely undeserved.

In the second half Deeside continued to press but weren't as incisive, with Hurst taking on allcomers with consummate ease. With Deeside pushing so much, Didsbury kept catching them on the break with good play from Jack, Hogan, Jordan and Landon.

From these breaks Didsbury scored three more; a tap-in from Jack at the far post, a sweetly struck hit from Landon, and yet another one yard tap-in from Talbot.

All in all Didsbury played badly but took their chances well. With some tough games coming up, Didsbury will have to play better if they want to move into one of the promotion slots.

Good luck to Deeside in their forthcoming fixtures as they are a good bunch of lads, one of best that we've played this season, and don't deserve to be relegated.

03/02/2001 - Didsbury Northern Is 1 Northop Hall IIs 1

A poor performance from a Didsbury that deserved even less than the pitiful point they took as the green and whites looked decidedly unimpressive on home turf.

A lack of ability up front left the goal keeper smiling as a multitude of opportunities were squandered. Lack of invention and passing ability in the middle left the opposition openly mocking the sheer ineptitude of a side coasting along third in the lea gue. The inability to tackle at the back should also have given Northop a chuckle had their own incompetence in front of goal not been so obvious.

Booth was sent off early on in a bad tempered game after the Northop captain had lovingly fondled his family jewels. Booth, taking offence reacted by shoving the offender away who then put on a display of acting, not out of place in a theatre, as he went down as if shot by an elephant gun clutching at his body as though his organs might escape. The cry was for Red but Umpire Whitehead bravely plumped for a Yellow and a hefty 20 minutes off the park.

The most disappointing thing from Northern's point of view was the absence of spirit, a lack of fight that was all the more worrying for the bad tempered nature of th e game. They shied from challenges, went into retreat at any sign of physical contact and looked for all the world as if they believed the ball would be somehow teleported onto the end of their sticks.

Surprising then the quality of the goal that gave Didsbury a first half lead. Short, crisp, one touch hockey from Hogan and man of the match Jordan opened up the pitch and Gold's clever hold up play in the D drew the defence for a slipped pass to Meredith to tap in at the far post - sheer simplicity!

The second half did little to raise the spirits of 22 players who apparently had nothing else to do on a Saturday afternoon but slog through 70 minutes of hockey. Inevitably as the mistakes continued the frustration began to show with several angry exchanges, Hall's captain again in the midst with his groin clutching antics.

All in all though Northop Hall deserved their equaliser. Always the most likely to score, they eventually managed to finish one of Didsbury's defensive blunders after a string of good saves from Hurst in goal. They could have won it too, a number of well executed short corners could have found them the winner but once more great goal keeping saved green and white blushes. It might well have been won by Didsbury in the last minute as the best chance of the game fell to Meredith but his deflection shot flew wide from eight yards out.

The game finished in a draw but the verbals continued off the pitch as both sides had their say about the opposition in a rather childish display of petulance. Northop Hall went away far the happier of the sides, the only bright note for a dire Didsbury was that their fellow promotion candidates had both drawn as well. If Northern are to clinch promotion this year then far more heart will be required in games such as this.

10/02/2001 - Bebington IIs 2 Didsbury Northern Is 0

Billed as the game Didsbury couldn't afford to lose if they harboured serious intentions of promotion, Didsbury proceeded to lay down like a whore to league leaders Bebington allowing them a relatively simple victory.

The game, predictably, was fought in the midfield with Bebington having the lion share of possession with Didsbury finding it difficult to string more than three passes together. Didsbury were getting pushed further and further backwards but the defence was holding with Bebington getting few shots on target, none of them troubling Man of the Match Chris Hurst in goal.

Then disaster struck for Didsbury, poor play by two static defenders let the Bebington forward get a tame shot off from the top of the D and inexplicably the goalkeeper could only deflect it off his stick into the goal. 1-0 to Bebington, and a well deserved lead at that.

This roused Didsbury into better play, but their passing game was really letting them down at crucial times. Despite this alarming lack of cohesion, Didsbury contrived to create several gilt edged chances but were wastefully missed by the forwards. Bebington continued to expose the defence, creating numerous one-on-ones and shortcorners which Hurst dealt with consummate ease.

Didsbury were struggling to find a way back into this game and then five minutes from the end it was effectively over as a contest, after another mishap by the defence. Fernandez, normally calm under pressure, tried to force a pass across the face of his own goal only to see the Bebington forward intercept and deflect the ball from 1 yard out into the goal.

The game finished with Bebington deserved winners and looking a certainty for promotion. Didsbury's spirits were raised when it was discovered that fellow promotion candidates; Rossendale, Southport and Holmes Chapel, all lost. The promotion campaign is still alive, albeit with the aid of a life support machine, with two hugely important games next weekend.

17/02/2001 - Didsbury Northern Is 6 Neston 2s 0

As the sun shone across Fallowfield on a beautiful spring afternoon, the players of Didsbury Northern shone, recording their biggest league win in years.

A fairly mundane first half saw few chances for either side, the share falling to Didsbury. Jordan, playing up front for the first time, looked lively and the most likely to score and indeed did with a great shot into the top left hand corner midway through the half.

What changed for Didsbury at half time is a mystery, a rousing team talk by Fernandez or an injection of self belief, who knows but Northern were a different side when they came back onto the pitch. As with Southport some weeks earlier, the second period was nothing more than a demolition job for a green and white team packing some serious explosives.

Thinking back, the change in Didsbury did seem to coincide with the arrival at the pitch side of the clubs ladies who cheered them on with great gusto and volume followed by their opposition, Manchester University. As over half of the Didsbury team were known to the Uni. girls through their own student playing days, they joined in shouting encouragement. Didsbury, for the most part young red blooded males, obviously delighted in performing for these lovely ladies in short skirts, turned the second half into something of an exhibition.

Jordan found the net a second time with a poached rebound from two yards, Landon fired in a short corner and Jordan completed his first Didsbury hat trick with the cheekiest goal he will ever score. A cross from the right and Jordan with back to goal deflected the ball under his own shoulder to beat the keeper at the near post. Landon added his second and Jordan rounded of a rousing second half with another great shot into the netting.

Landon should have recorded a hat trick as well as he scored from a short corner, only to have it disallowed. The corner was awarded as the final whistle went and everyone was up for it. Unfortunately, Hurst had removed his helmet and as Landon's flick hit the netting in the top left hand corner the goal was disallowed.

From a defensive point of view, Northern looked absolutely unbreakable through the entire game Hurst only touching the ball once and that an unpressured kick passing to a defender. Beavers and Fernandez were superb in the middle and Carter and Bye solid, keeping the Neston wingers quiet all game.

With the news that Bebington and Rossendale had drawn, promotion had been placed back within grasp and in Didsbury's hands.

18/02/2001 - Holmes Chapel Is 1 Didsbury Northern Is 0

In the fog enshrouded "Middlewich Colliseum", Didsbury failed to take any points after yet another lethargic Sunday outing and in the process taking promotion back out of their hands.

For the first ten minutes Didsbury played very brightly, under the watchful eye of their young coach, controlling the game and looked to have shaken off any ill effects from a Saturday night's excesses.

Few chances were created by either side, as they both managed to contain the opposing forwards and the game was played predominantly in the midfield. However, Didsbury were a pale shadow of the team that had played a mere 24 hours previous. Gone was the slick passing, gone was the patient build up play, gone was the fighting spirit.

Whether this was due to excessive hard work in the Saturday game, or whether the fact it was a Sunday game or the fact there were no young women supporting them from the sidelines, who knows, but Holmes Chapel looked the stronger side.

The game itself hinged on a few key incidents; what if Hogan had picked up his man and not allowed him to have a free flick at goal from six yards out; what if Jordan had shot from 12 yards out, in space, rather than passing to a marked Landon; what if Booth, diving, had managed to get a stick on the ball to steer it in from a yard out.

Sadly it's all conjecture and Holmes Chapel managed to sneak all three points, thus moving above Didsbury into third place. Didsbury now have to raise their game again, to put pressure on the leading teams and hope they slip up enough to let Didsbury get the promotion place that crave. But games are running out ...

24/02/2001 - Wigan IIs 1 Didsbury Northern Is 2

With pressure mounting on if they were to keep alive any hopes of promotion Didsbury took all three points but made the job far more difficult than it should have been.

Keeper Dave Brown had flown back from work in America to fill in for the missing Hurst and Gold, Landon and Jordan had been combined up front for the first time this season, it was to be a useful combination. Landon and Jordan looked good early on threatening to break through with every attack and the old university connection of Gold and Jordan looked dangerous with some great first touch passing.

It was only a matter of time before the goal came, several early efforts well saved by Wigans extraordinarily vocal keeper. A ball through to Gold on top of the D, the faintest of touches to take it past the defender and Jordan with back to goal turned and struck an instinctive shot into the bottom corner.

The second followed with a great passing movement culminating in a ball across the D from Gold, finished reverse stick by Landon. At that point, the flood gates threatened to open as Booths tenacity down the left and Merediths great running started to open the defence. But against the rising tide, somehow the defences held, Jordan denied by great saves as he got off shots from the most improbable positions.

The second half followed much the same pattern as a continual green wave breaking against the blue shore that was the Wigan defence but somehow, and credit must be given to the defenders, the pressure could not be converted to goals. Landon and Gold both came close before Jordan took the ball one on one with the keeper and with great composure flicked it over him, only to see it agonisingly come back off the post.

Wigan on several occasions exploited the attacking tendencies of Northern and eventually got a goal as Stanger lost the ball with a dreadful pass. Brown then scuffed a stick clearance to leave a tap in for the appreciative forward. Now it was Didsburys turn to teeter as they threatened to collapse in the last five minutes, only some determined battling saving them.

A hard fought game that Didsbury really should have won convincingly was nevertheless more points in the bag and with Holmes Chapel losing at Bebington, Northern went back third.

03/03/2001 - Didsbury Northern Is 3 Manchester Uni 2

Didsbury left it late but narrowly took the three points in a fast, skillful contest and crept closer to the top two promotion slots.

This was always going to be a difficult contest as most of the Didsbury players were well known by the students and so there was an extra edge to the University's game. However the game started in sombre mood as a minute silence was held in respect for Kate Longbottom, a Manchester University and England hockey player and friend to many people on the pitch, who died a few days previously after losing her fight with Leukemia.

In the game itself, a pattern emerged very quickly, with the university happy to sit back and absorb pressure from Didsbury, launching fast breaks through their skillful forwards when the opportunities arose.

After a prolonged period of pressure, Didsbury finally found the back of the net through a neat series of passes, executed with surgical precision, leaving Paul Booth with a well taken tap in at the far post. 1-0 and the joy was evident on the Didsbury faces but this game was far from over.

Manchester University stepped up a gear and started to move the ball quickly and accurately but this was mainly limited to the midfield with Man of the Match Fernandez cutting out the majority of attacks before they reached the D.

Then just before halftime, the university were back in the game. Fernandez dawdling on the ball was fouled by a university Forward in the front of the away umpire. The game was allowed to continue and three unopposed forwards passed the ball round Davenport and into the goal. A redfaced Fernandez was only irritated further when the impudent forward apologised for fouling him!

Manchester University came out strongly in the second half and looked increasingly dangerous everytime they entered Didsbury's half. Eventually this pressure told after 15 minutes, as the students passed the ball quickly round static Didsbury defenders with the attacker slipping the ball under Davenport's body from 10 yards out.

This finally inspired Northern to wake up from their slumber and start to work harder as a team. Manchester University were pushed further and further towards their own goal with their breaks broken up well by the Didsbury defence.

From their strong offensive play, Didsbury started to win shortcorners and this would prove to be the turning point of the game. Landon hit a rocket, from the first penalty corner, towards the bottom left corner but the keeper managed to get the faintest of touches to push it onto the inside of the post and back along the goal line where it was cleared by the university defence.

From the next one, Landon changed his plan and buried the ball in the centre of the goal and underneath the diving keeper who had been expecting the same as before. 2-2 and Didsbury attacked with increased ferosity to get the win they craved.

With less than a minute to go Didsbury earned yet another short corner. Landon stepped up and hit a blistering shot to the bottom left corner which again hit the inside of the post, but this time also found the backboard. 3-2 to Didsbury Northern and the comeback was complete and with it three points which kept them in the hunt for honours this season.

10/03/2001 - Chester IIs 4 Didsbury Northern Is 0

Didsbury with their promotion hopes back in their own hands travelled to Chester needing to take all three points home and hopes were high, despite missing three regular first team players, that this could be achieved.

The first fifteen minutes suggested that they might just do so as they whipped the ball around and pressed Chester into making mistakes. Unfortunately for Didsbury, their lack of fitness told even at that early stage as several players struggled to maintain the intensity. Stanger in the middle, who had started so sharply, looked as though even walking was an effort twenty minutes in, and as the centre of the field failed to produce, so Didsbury started to lose their grip.

As Chester began to find their feet, they broke quickly and won a short corner. A well worked left slip and the ball was flicked into the netting to make it 1-0 against the run of play. Five minutes later and another short corner, this one rather dubiously awarded, resulted in goal two as the ball was drag flicked from the edge of the D.

Northern then rallied and with the reintroduction of man of the match Jordan from the bench into his more familiar right midfield role, made inroads into the Chester defence. The best move came just before the interval as Hogan and Jordan linked up beautifully to allow the winger to attack the defence. A weaving run saw him beat three before being ungraciously halted in the D. Unfortunately the resulting short corner ended as almost all before and after it, with absolutely nothing to show.

A string of penalty corners in the second period failed to gain Didsbury anything and as they pushed looking for a goal, they left themselves as open as a whores legs. A lightening break and a great finish while one-on-one with the keeper made it three and then a mistake by Fernandez, one of several in important games, left Chester little to do to knock home a rather comical fourth.

Didsbury could learn many things from Chester who at times ran them ragged. For a team who aspires to Div 1 hockey, they lacked several key ingredients of a team capable of playing there. The passing was lethargic and inaccurate, the work rate terribly inadequate and the speed of thought only marginally above pitifully slow.

If, on their day, Didsbury are a side who can tear a team limb from limb, when not their day there is a frightening tendency to lie down like a wounded animal and wait for death to come and take them.

17/03/2001 - Didsbury Northern Is 0 Rossendale Is 2

After showing great promise early in the season, the fortunes of Didsbury have taken something of a change for the worse. Indeed, they looked to have given up and condemned themselves to second division hockey before this game was half over.

A promising start saw them press and hurry Rossendale into mistakes and looked the more likely to score but without an early strike to hold up the spirits they soon began to wilt. Jordan came off the bench fifteen minutes in and after good link up play with Gold, attacked the defence with a snaking run from the left. As he closed on goal, a scything challenge left the umpire with no option but to award a flick. Landon stepped up to take it but put it too close to the keeper who defected it onto the bar and out.

This proved the turning point as the already waning spirits were finally extinguished altogether and Didsbury as good as accepted that it was just not going to be their day. To their credit, Rossendale worked hard and deserved the three points