The Team
Jane (gk) (Abby - 75mins)
Scooby, Mickey, Shelley, Katie Fingers
Mini,
Jackie Ryan (Clare 80mins), Rachael Brown,
Rachael Taylor (Polly Pocket 75mins), Lisa Harvey-Smith, Maxine

Match report
Bolton Lads and Girls, aka Chew Moor Brook or Greyhound Gunners (I prefer
the latter) have reinvented themselves almost as many times as Madonna.
Whatever the name, they always provide an interesting challenge to the
Stingers with their fastidious approach to the offside trap. Taking this
into account, the Yellows made clever use of the players on the flanks and
both Maxine and Rachael T treated the crowd to excellent
displays and were both rewarded with hat-tricks. The Stingers really
dominated the game and won the ball in the air, a great improvement from
last week's performance. Every player put in a sterling effort and Lisa
and Jackie Ryan got on the score-sheet. There were plenty more chances
missed, with the Bolton keeper putting in some brave challenges when left
by her defence to fend for herself. The scoreline said it all however, a
fantastic result for the Stingers.
Lisa Harvey-Smith

The Team
Jane (gk)
Lisa Harvey-Smith, Mickey, Shelley, Katie Fingers
Gwen Davies,
Scooby, Rachael Brown (Clare 80mins),
Rachael Taylor, Nichola Absalom (Abby (gk)- 75mins), Polly Pocket

Match report
After an unprecedented 2004/05 season and a league re-structuring, the Stingers found themselves starting this season in the North-West Regional League Division 1 (South). This will mean a host of new opponents as well as some old foes such as GMP, Buxton, Glossop and Chew Moor to name a few. Their first opponents were to be Bolton Ambassadors, straight from the top end of division 2. The game was played at the same venue that kicked off the Stingers' previous season and the Yellows were hoping that the result would be a positive one.

In hot sunshine and with a tricky camber to contend with, the Stingers kicked off against a depleted Ambassadors team and made a positive start. With the downhill advantage, the first half was a case of the Bolton team defending for all that they were worth, whilst the chances piled up for the visitors. Dr. Polly, making her first full appearance worked well on the right wing and made some incisive runs but her crosses were seldom met in the middle. Rachael Taylor worked the other wing, making it tough for the Bolton right-back. The Yellows had several chances to score, but were
sometimes reluctant to test the Ambassadors' keeper. The break came when, after a lovely through ball, Rachael calmly beat the keeper to take the Stingers into the lead. In the 38th minute, Scooby tried a cheeky lob of the keeper from 20 yards out but it bounced once and struck the bar. Polly charged in to follow up the shot, but was barged over in the box and the referee saw nothing wrong with the challenge. The Yellows were denied yet again, after Scooby was set up by Rachael T and netted in an open goal but was given offside, despite the protests from the technical area.

The second half was to be more difficult, attacking uphill. It proved so, as the flighty Bolton number 9 caused problems and the home team were allowed a number of chances. They equalised, putting the pressure on the yellows who had so dominated the first half. With a stroke of luck in the windy conditions, Bolton made it 2-1 when they scored directly from a corner, a shot that gave the keeper absolutely no chance. Stingers really needed a goal, so Jane was brought out of net to add new impetus up front and replaced by Abi, who made a good save in the first couple of minutes on her Stingers debut. Time ran inexorably on however, the goal never came and it was another unhappy trip to Bolton for the yellows.
Lisa Harvey-Smith