HUDDERSFIELD Dragons Ladies firsts just had the edge against Driffield Ladies as they won a nine-goal thriller 5-4 in the North Hockey League Division II East.
The Dragons continued their free-scoring form and controlled the game well for the first 20 minutes.
Some neat passing saw them push forward but they struggled to convert the possession into goals.
Driffield hit back and showed a far more ruthless streak in front of goal to score twice inside five minutes.
The Dragons pulled themselves back into the game with 10 minutes of the first half remaining with two short-corner goals scored in quick succession by Sarah Blackburn.
With half time fast approaching the Dragons lost concentration and conceded a breakaway goal to go in at half-time 3-2 down.
Stern words at the break from captain Kelly Fillingham gave the team the wake up they deserved.
Becky Durrans led the fightback with some excellent runs leading to attack after attack.
The pressure paid off as the ball went out to Roisheen McEwan on the right, and she crossed back to the penalty spot for Durrans to coolly finish.
The Dragons went ahead for the first time in the match with a confident finish by Hester Longstaff.
The excitement wasn’t over, Driffield scored a short corner to level the score, but Liz Maddaford put in some hard tackles, leading to an attack initiated by Fillingham.
The skipper laid the ball off to Blackburn who sealed her hat trick and the win with a cleanly-struck shot into the bottom corner.
The Dragons will look to continue their impressive goal scoring form and extend their unbeaten run to four in their next game at home to Slazengers.
The Dragons Ladies seconds slipped to a 5-3 defeat at home to fellow strugglers Driffield seconds in the Yorkshire League Premier Division.
Bottom of the table Huddersfield were determined to come away with points and got off to a great start.
They took the lead when a cross by Sal Peyman found Becky Pinder who slotted the ball home.
Their second came soon after when the home side were awarded a penalty stroke which Mariella Dobson coolly converted.
However, Huddersfield found that a two-goal advantage was not enough and by half-time found Driffield had pulled level.
Dragons continued to dominate throughout the second half and apply pressure to the Driffield defence, and when they found themselves a goal down, they quickly responded with a goal by Gwyneth Thomas.
Despite some great saves by player of the match, young keeper Alex Wagstaff, Huddersfield once again walked away without any points.
Dragons II: Wagstaff, Eade, Turner, Dobson, Durrans, Ramsden, Hargreaves, McColl, Luxford, Pinder, Peyman, Thomas
