THE ladies first team travelled to Liverpool to take on the Northern Premier League's top team.

Liverpool took an early lead from a well-orchestrated penalty corner only minutes after Blackburn had a goal controversially disallowed.

Later in the half, they stretched their lead to 2-0. Blackburn came out strong after the break. Liverpool got a chance to put the game out of reach just minutes into the second half when they were awarded a penalty stroke. Player of the game goalkeeper Karen Wells was up to the task however, and made a tremendous save from a penalty stroke.

Soon after, Blackburn scored a well-worked penalty corner of their own as Isabel Gough knocked it past the Liverpool keeper from seven yards out. The remaining 20 minutes was a heated end-to-end battle but the clock beat Blackburn. The ladies first team took on Colne Valley in an All-England Plate match. Blackburn opened the scoring after only 10 minutes as Selina Reidy deflected a hard penalty corner strike taken by Victoria Boomer.

They nearly doubled their lead just before half time as Deb Birkbeck carved through the Colne Valley defence, but her rocket shot bounced off the post.

In the second half Blackburn got two goals from striker Olga Jackson, the second from a superb pass from defender Carrie Horrigan.

The men's first team hosted Knutsford at Witton Park with hopes of gaining their first win of the season. The home team scored on 15 minutes, after a scramble in front of goal at a penalty corner and dominated the first half.

The second half belonged to the visitors however, and the Blackburn defence was put under a lot of pressure. They held up admirably for 30 minutes, but in the end, Blackburn had to settle for their second consecutive draw.

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