DATEN Ladies Hockey team played their first game of 2004 against local rivals Newton-le-Willows.

Newton are one division higher and it took Daten the first half to get back into things after the Christmas break with the team not passing the ball well.

Late in the first half Helen Moffett drove the ball down the right hand side of the pitch and crossed the ball in front of the goal were Newton tried to clear it from the goalmouth but Corrine Hodge connected with the ball and scored.

The second half was more of the same with both sides having a few short corners but no one was able to convert.

Daten's young goalkeeper Carla Metcalf produced some good saves, especially one which was a one on one she lay down and prevented Newton equalising. Twenty minutes into the second half Newton had a good period and managed to get a shoot on goal, Metcalf stopped the shot but the rebound spun in for the equaliser.

The Ladies second team played their first game of the year against Brookland 2nd team.

Daten showed their experience with good games from Stacey Coreless, Sally Casson, Nicky Buckney and Karen Sankey. The defence of Joanne Olson, Cathy Skinner, Suzanne Crippin, Louise Hainsworth and Julia Jones was solid throughout the game and Brooklands were unable to get near to the goal.

Early in the first half Daten scored through Emily Lees after Nicky Buckney and Lisa Cheney had worked well together.

The Men's second team played Southport 3rds, who are top of the division. Daten went with 10 men and held out for the first 15 minutes but Southport's extra man started to tell. Daten tried to hold the score down but eventually went down 10-1.