HORWICH ladies’ first team were unfortunate not to get anything from Saturday’s match with fellow Greater Manchester League Division One strugglers, Didsbury Greys seconds, going down 3-2 at home.

Horwich started the match well and took the lead with Jeanette Brew finding the top corner of the net from a tight angle.

They then doubled their lead when Donna Vinten made sure a shot from their player of the day, Zoe Bluer, crossed the goal line.

Regrettably for Horwich, they could not hold on to their lead as Greys scored twice to level the scores.

This seemed to give the visitors a boost and they went at Horwich with a vengeance in the second half adding a vital goal to their tally.

Horwich were unable to repeat their first-half performance and the match ended in defeat.

The second team also suffered a 3-2 loss, in their match at home to Stockport Bramhall thirds.

In the first half most of the attacking play came from Stockport and a goal from a short corner saw them lead 1-0 at half time.

After the break Horwich came out fighting and equalised 10 minutes after the restart, Zara Kour pushing in from a goalmouth scramble.

Stockport fought back with another goal making it 2-1.

Helen Roocroft scored a second equaliser for Horwich, finishing clinically at a short-corner rebound.

Horwich’s defence battled hard with player of the day Shannon Leeson making some vital saves, but they conceded a late goal and Stockport took the three points from a 3-2 win.

The men’s seconds lost 7-2 at a youthful Southport third team.

Horwich were left standing with some slick pass-and-move hockey from the seasiders and they were 4-0 down in the first 20 minutes.

They shuffled the pack and pushed forward more, pulling one back when Will Aitken passed the ball to Dave Cheetham in the D, who slowly slipped it past the keeper.

But that proved only brief respite and the visitors were 6-1 down at half time.

Horwich dug deep and played better attacking hockey in the second half. Cheetham deflected a second via a reverse-stick goal from Matt Tuppen’s strike and they could have had more. Graeme Kilshaw made some brilliant saves for them but was unable to prevent Southport from grabbing a seventh goal late in the day.

Horwich men’s firsts were beaten 4-3 at home to Fylde’s second team.