LINDSAY Rachubka scored twice for Wilmslow Hockey Club ladies in a 3-1 home win against Lytham St Annes.

The visitors started the brighter side and scored the opening goal within the first three minutes.

The Wilmslow defence was caught napping and a Lytham player found herself unmarked outside the D.

A clever carry and selfless assist saw their striker slot home past a helpless Lang.

This worked to spur the orangetops on and they began to press.

Poor tactical awareness by the visiting side saw Wilmslow continually catching their backline out with deceptive line balls.

A short time later, good link-up play between the attacking unit saw the awarding of a penalty corner.

Danni Cooper stepped up and powerfully fired the ball beyond the reach of the keeper and the Lytham player on the line to level the score.

Then an excellently placed pass from half back Hannah Kelman found South African Carla Botha, the highest forward, who squared it to her returning strike partner Rachubka who accurately lifted the ball over the onrushing keeper to give the home side the lead heading into the half-time break.

Wilmslow started the second half much better than they started the first and their ability to free up players in the attacking third was causing real issues for Lytham’s backline.

Emilie Kelman came close when her reverse fired across the face of the goal without a touch.

Both sides continued to come close to scoring on multiple occasions.

Player of the match Molly Wortley was a particular stand out in a disciplined and confident performance by Wilmslow.

While the clock was running down, Lytham pressed in the hope of finding an equaliser in the remaining time left.

This was in vain as a delightfully floated pass down the line found Rachubka who, in the remaining seconds, rounded the keeper and ensured Wilmslow secured all three points and a revenge win over Lytham.

Wilmslow’s men suffered a hangover after last week’s promotion celebrations with a below par performance at Sheffield Hallam, who took the lead from a short corner early on.

Wilmslow drew level when Pete Hallinan finished calmly at the back post.

Hallam retook their lead after a defensive mix up at the back for Wilmslow and went two goals ahead when lax marking allowed a Hallam forward a simple finish from the middle of the D.

Wilmslow reduced the deficit when Joe Booth skilfully took an aerial pass over his shoulder and drove a shot into the bottom corner.

Wilmslow at last began to get into their stride when a Martin Wright drag flick went in off the inside of the post to level the scores before half time.

The second half followed the first when the tangerines were caught cold in the early minutes and the home side regained the lead with a well-worked short corner.

Then after a swift counter attack they took the score to 5-3.

Wilmslow scored a late consolation goal through Joe Booth but couldn’t find the equaliser in the last minutes.

Missed chances and sloppy defending gave the Tykes the 3 points which weeks ago when chasing promotion Wilmslow would not have conceded.