This week, Batley travelled to Barnsley on Saturday to face bottom of the league Huddersfield.
Batley, with a slightly changed attacking line, started the game well. Vicky Almond starting as a winger quickly found herself in the mix of things, slotting the ball across the circle, Batley won their first penalty corner of the game. Rach Stewart receiving the ball passed into Sarah Fretwell who crossed into ‘Superstar’ Almond to score the first goal of the game! Batley quickly gained another penalty corner and this time it was Elsworth who sliced one home for the away team. 15 minutes gone and it was 2-0 to Batley.
There were some strict umpiring decisions, owing to the umpire being used to a much higher standard of play, so this stilted the flow of the game somewhat. Huddersfield attacked and during the last 5 minutes had a chance to pull one back, good work by Katie Amis-Hughes at the back meant Batley finished the half 2-0 up.
Second half saw Huddersfield come out the blocks hard. Some sleepy defensive work from Batley meant they managed to pull one back, game on.
During a heated exchange with the umpire, over some unkind treatment of one of Batleys newer players, Stewart received a green card, and was benched for 2 minutes. Huddersfield took advantage of this and capitalised with another goal scored from another defensive blunder.
Nevertheless Batley continued to plug away Hayley Reynolds and Mel Neal looked sensational on the right handside of the pitch, working the ball high up the field to Almond who sent some balls across field but Huddersfields defensive line held on.
In the dying minutes Fretwell passed the ball to Elsworth who cooly slotted the ball into the net. Batley 3 Huddersfield 2.
All in all Batley deserved the win. They made it hard for themselves. Player of the match went to Gemma Elsworth for her last minute winner!