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Peterborough Ladies 22 Harlow Ladies 31
(25th January 2009)
RFUW SE
Eastern Div
III
Harlow Ladies made
the trip to Peterborough
this weekend in what proved to be their hardest fought league victory of the
season. A traditionally very strong team Peterborough started well and put
the pressure on Harlow from the off doing what they have always done best,
powering up the middle of the park with their heavy forwards. It wasn't long
before they were rewarded with a well earned try. Harlow now clearly under
pressure from what was a relentless attack defended superbly in preventing
the home team putting more past them but as the half closed The home side
kept on the pressure and again where rewarded a try from some bad
communication from a lineout. Half Time 12-0
After the break it
was a major turnaround. Harlow always being the faster team started to draw
the defence and attack the space. A very quick draw and give from Sarah
Stimpson at fly half opened a huge hole enabling Davina McLennan to crash
through and run 35 yards to put the ball under the post, the conversion from
Emily Gizzi put Harlow
back in the game. Never the team to back down Borough again came back
strongly but this time
Harlow where ready. Now realising
they could beat this team
Harlow's forwards stepped up a gear
and closed down Borough's march up the park. Some sloppy ball handing gave
Harlow
the scrum. From a good solid forwards platform the ball was shipped cleanly
out to the backs and with a great turn of pace outside centre Danni McKenna
was able to clear the line and run it in under the post from her own half.
Another solid conversion from Emily Gizzi gave
Harlow a 2
point lead.
Now using pace and
intelligent rugby to outwit the brawn of Peterborough Harlow began to pass
the ball about making the home team work in defence. Great hands down the
line enabled Sarah Stimpson to link in with the centres and wing to clear
the now broken defence. It ended up being a simple run down the wing to give
her an unconverted try.
Peterborough's
sprit now broken Harlow
took control of the game. Now playing with confidence the forwards decided
to try their luck. A well defended attack from
Harlow put the
ball 20 yards from Boroughs try line. With all the forwards working
brilliantly together they were able to start an old school rolling maul,
with some great communication between Hooker Emily Gizzi and Captain Kelly
Cotterill they were able to move the ball away from borough giving Kelly a
chance to crash over the line for what this season is now her trade mark
try.
Peterborough's
morale in all but tatters and Harlow playing like their lives depended on it
kept on the pressure. And in an almost identical maneuver from her first try
Danni McKenna was able to break though a huge hole created by Davina to run
in Harlow's
last try of the day.
The pressure Harlow put on
Peterborough started to take its toll
as fatigue started to show and now was Peterborough's
chance to exact revenge. Showing great sprit they took full advantage and
smashed through Harlow's
how flagging forwards to run in a try.
With Danni McKenna
now off injured and prop Sam Acraman down
Peterborough
went in for the kill. A tired and disorganised
Harlow couldn't
stop another strong attack which again yielded a well deserved try. But it
was too little too late for
Peterborough.
Final score Harlow 31 Peterborough 22
Next week the ladies
play a friendly against Tabard away before their last away league fixture
against Southwold. There will be a team bus for that game and supporters are
welcome.
Tries: Cotterill (1),
Sarah Stimpson (1), Davina Mclellan (1), Danni McKenna (2)
Conversions: Emily Gizzi
(3),
Team:
1. Sam Acraman, 2. Emily Gizzi, 3. Sarah Lucas, 4. Carla Souch, 5. Tracey
Lee, 8. Kelly Cotterill (Capt), 9. Niki Millman, 10. Sarah Stimpson, 11.
Toni Beard, 12. Davina Mclellan, 13. Danni McKenna (Sub Deena Clark 55 mins),
14. Donna Mercer, 15. Abi Perry
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