With the wind off the beach behind them in the first half PNE had the territorial advantage and eventually made this tell after 5 mins when Helen S won a free kick 5yds into the Blackpool half. Her free kick was initially blocked, but from the rebound she found Gemma on the back post. Gemma created space for a shot and drove the ball low inside the right post. But the Blackpool girls were soon back in the game and equalised when Emily L was caught in possession on the half way line. The ball was neatly played through to the Blackpool no.9 who shot from the left of the goal. Holly made a good save with a dive to her left but could only push the ball into the path of the advancing Blackpool forward. She stroked the ball into the empty net before Holly had a chance to recover. Preston continued to press for the next 10 mins but failed to produce a meaningful scoring opportunity. Blackpool then caught PNE on the break again and from point blank range Holly produced a great double save to keep PNE in the game. On 20 mins Emily L won the ball in midfield and found Hannah C on the edge of the Blackpool box. She slid the ball through to Gemma and she slotted the ball past the Blackpool goalie for PNE’s second. Emily L was then unlucky when a strong shot from outside the box hit the goalkeeper’s leg and spun onto the post and behind for a corner. A few minutes later Emily found Gemma on the left wing but the Blackpool keeper tipped her long-range effort over the bar. In the second half with the wind in their faces it was immediately clear that PNE should have made better use of their first half advantage. Holly produced a save on the line when the ball was diverted goal ward from a corner and Helen S produced a splendidly timed sliding tackle to curtail a Blackpool attack. After 9 mins PNE paid the penalty for not clearing their lines as Blackpool’s no. 9 pounced on a loose ball in the PNE area and prodded the ball into the net to bring the sides level at 2-2. For the next ten minutes it was all one-way traffic as PNE were forced to defend in numbers and soak up the pressure from the Blackpool players and the stiff sea breeze. PNE eventually broke free and a cross from Emily L found Hannah in space in the box. She turned her marker and created enough space for a shot, she struck it well, but unfortunately straight at the keeper. Moments later Chaz brought down a Blackpool player on the edge of the box. The resulting free kick was well struck and with the help of the wind behind it, the ball flew over Hollie’s outstretched hand and into the top right hand corner of the net to take the score to 3-2 to Blackpool. As the sun disappeared behind the sand dunes the PNE girls tried valiantly to battle against the Blackpool team and also the strengthening sea breeze. But despite their best efforts they were unable to create any further meaningful opportunities. ----The views expressed on this page are those of the contributor and the opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the BBC. | 
