Not to be outdone by the Men’s 1st team, our Ladies 2nd team have also been crowned league champions as the winners of YNE Peak & Wold Division 1, with a game to spare.

Finishing 4th last season, the team came close to promotion as part of yet another league restructure. As it was, the top two teams were promoted to Yorkshire Division 2, whilst 3rd-placed Chesterfield were placed in the new Yorkshire Division 3. Lindum 2s will take up their place in YNE Yorkshire Women’s Division 3 for the 2023-24 season, closing the gap between themselves and the Ladies 1s.

Captain Kirsten Ingram was delighted with how the season has panned out: “It has been a pleasure to captain this fantastic group of people. I am extremely proud to have led them to promotion and forever grateful for the energy and commitment each individual brought week on week”. Although it is not just the players that Kirsten has to thank, as she extends her thanks also to the juniors’ parents who travelled and supported us week in week out “no matter the weather!”

Vice-captain Holly Ilott was also glowing with praise for her team, adding “I am so grateful to have been part of such an amazing, supportive, and skilled group of ladies this season. Thank you to everyone who has supported and played along the way to help us achieve promotion. It could not have been a better season with our performances and team spirit, continually encouraging one another and always supporting each other”. She’s already raring to go for next season and “cannot wait!”

Promotion was the one goal in mind at the beginning of the season, utilising a mixture of experience and bright prospects. Everything from that point then started to click.

They started the season as most teams do, a little shaky, but delivering three victories before settling into the fixture list and believing that anything was possible and achievable. It became clear that Sheffield-based Phoenix and local rivals Horncastle would be the closest challengers, which was evident upon their meetings.

At Christmas, the team sat proudly atop the league with a 5-point cushion over 2nd-placed Phoenix, and the route to promotion became clear. The pressure from this point then grew to maintain the good run of form knowing Phoenix would be hot on their tails.

Happily, the team were able to secure promotion against another Lincolnshire-based rival, Louth, with a 7-2 win over the 1st team.

Team (pictured above): Imogen Trotter, Alexis Buchner, Gemma Barnsdale, Kirsten Ingram, Caz May, Penny Vinter; Emily Fitzpatrick, Sarah Farrington, Kiera Mackender, Beth Church, Grace Grevatt, Lucy Barrow, Millie Wright; Holly Kerr

“The commitment to training and intent to learn has been key to the ladies’ success” according to Men’s 1s captain and Ladies 2s coach, Rob Johnstone. “If any team deserves to be promoted, it would be this team of ladies. Week in, week out they turn up to training and put a shift in which has translated into their results across the season”. Proud of the development of the team, Rob is hopeful that they will continue to push on even further next year.

Across the season, the 2s have fielded as many as 22 different players, including 8 under-18s, with the youngest only 14. The team’s most memorable result of the season came in their 9-0 demolition of Sheffield University Bankers 3s. Not only have the 2s improved their scoring record on last season, netting 72 with no less than 17 different scorers, they have also tightened up at the back, conceding just 18 times including 4 clean sheets.

Club Chairman, Ben Smith, echoed Rob’s support for the ladies: “This is a fantastic achievement for the ladies and also for the club as the second team to secure promotion this season. It has been really encouraging to see so many younger players doing so well, and credit must go to the senior players and coaches in supporting them. The future is bright!”

The whole team are looking forward to next season’s challenge in a new division with a higher quality of opposition. As well as maintaining the core group, they are more than welcoming of any new/returning players who are interested in joining.

Remaining Fixtures

Saturday 11 March (12:00) – Lindum 2 vs Hull Hawks 1

2022-23 Scorers

10 Phoenix Irvine

9 Lucy Barrow, Beth Church, Kirsten Ingram

5 Gemma Barnsdale, Penny Vinter

4 Imogen Trotter, Millie Wright

3 Laura Bellamy, Kiera Mackender, Caz May

2 Cameo Jefferson, Megan Wing

1 Anna Bergens, Alexis Buchner, Sarah Farrington, Emily Fitzpatrick

YNE Peak & Wold Division 1 Table