Hockey: Conway scores four times as Lancaster beat Clitheroe and Blackburn

A hat-trick from Nicola Conway put the hosts in control at half-time, Julie Walker added a fourth early in the second half before Conway grabbed another and Hayley Johns completed the scoring.

The results keeps Lancaster at the summit of the North Women’s Hockey League Division Two North West after a fine first 10 games.

The hosts started quickly and put Clitheroe on the back foot straight from the off with Jayde Christeansen finding space on the left.

She played a cross field ball to Hayley Johns who found Conway in the D who finished into the far corner with a ferocious strike.

After 10 minutes Clitheroe pulled level after an unfortunate defensive error, this gave them a lift and rocked Lancaster.

However, Lancaster rallied together and regained their composure and worked the ball well with Chloe Ranson controlling the midfield.

On 20 minutes Conway put Lancaster back into the lead with another fantastic strike from the edge of the D and with only two minutes left in the half she grabbed her hat-trick and Lancaster’s third.

Toni Fagan powered down the right and pulled the ball back which Conway on hand to flick the ball over the ‘keeper and in.

In the second half Lancaster grabbed their fourth and this time Conway was the provider.

She fired a dangerous ball into the D and Walker got a crucial deflection on it to take it past the ‘keeper.

Hannahlise Morris then worked the ball into the D and found player of the match Conway on the byline whose cross-cum-shot found the far corner.

Lancaster completed the scoring when Ali Standeven found Hayley Johns from a penalty corner.