Guernsey Raiders Ladies
Matches
Guernsey Raiders LadiesOverviewMatchesTableSquadReports
Sun 20 Mar 2016
Worthing Ladies
21
19
Guernsey Raiders
Guernsey Raiders Ladies
Ladies edged out at Worthing

Ladies edged out at Worthing

Natalie Davidson29 Mar 2016 - 08:30
Share via
FacebookTwitter
https://www.grfc.gg/teams/1304

Third place -at best - now seems destined to be the final placing for the Guernsey RFC Ladies after their narrow defeat at Worthing

After a slow start which saw Guernsey soon slip 14-0 behind, they battled back well only to be denied 21-19.

After the poor start Guernsey suddenly seemed to show signs of using the power game that they have relied on so well the rest of this season, and with some powerful running and some solid phases from the breakdown eventually Tanya Scholtz managed to charge over from close range with at least 3 Worthing players clinging to her.

Jemma Crouse scored the conversion.

Only five minutes later and again after signs of improvement with getting over the gain line and managing to exert some pressure, Worthing gave away a penalty which Crouse kicked to touch. Guernsey cleanly won the resulting lineout with a catch and drive from fully 20 meters out they drove Worthing all the way to the try line and Crouse at 9 grabbed the ball and dotted down.

The kick was just missed from a difficult angle and at half time we were only two behind.

With Guernsey now having a period of ascendancy the second half started strongly and after 10 minutes Scholtz managed to wrestle the ball and herself free of a maul and charged the final 15 metres to dive over for her second and Guernsey’s third try to take the lead.

Crouse kicked impressively to make it 19-14 to Guernsey.

With ten minutes left on the clock and with Worthing coming strongly back at Guernsey a ruck ensued just inside the Guernsey half and the Worthing scrum half spotted a gap at the side of the ruck and darted through the gap with just fullback Carly Parrott and the covering Crouse to beat, and somehow she managed to elude both challenges to run over the line between the posts.

The conversion was kicked and Worthing had stolen the game.

Coach Chris Griffiths was, though, still a proud man.

‘Obviously it was pretty heartbreaking when their number 9 scored to take back the lead with about 8 minutes left and it was a shame that we just couldn’t quite do enough to get ourselves in a position to score a penalty which would have been enough to win the game, but I do really hope all of the players are proud of how hard they fought, it was by far our gutsiest performance of the season.

‘Our line out functioned brilliantly all game and we stole at least two of Worthing’s throw ins, our scrum was very dominant all game and but for the under 19 laws played in this league we could have pushed them off the park. The driving maul from the catch and drive at the line out was a sight to behold and is something we can look to work on to use as an attacking weapon in future.

‘Everyone played well, but Tanya Scholtz was a outstanding as a powerful presence both in attack and defence and more than deserved her two tries, whilst young Kaitlin Donaldson had the best game of her first full season on the wing.

‘We will now prepare well for the Siam Cup against Jersey and we are confident that we will finish what has already been a great season on a real high.’

Team:
(1 to 15) Eleanor Woodward, Sophie O’ Connell, Heidi Mahy, Kristine Vavere (captain), Ellie Whittles, Tanya Scholtz, Fiona Power, Vicki Rang, Jemma Crouse, Fiona Ashworth, Kaitlin Donaldson, Hannah Lord, Hannah McLennan, Anneka Saunders, Carly Parrott

Replacements:
Andrea Harris, Michelle Schofield, Sarah Woodington, Caitlin Bowie and Beth Gabriel.

Match details

Match date

Sun 20 Mar 2016

Kickoff

14:30
Team overview
Further reading

Team Sponsors

Gold Sponsor - Babbé
Silver Sponsor - Polygon Collective
Charitable Partner - Betway
Sponsor of the Director of Rugby - Doyle Motors
Kit Sponsor - Fletcher Sports
Travel Kit Sponsor - Fresh Dental
Official Kit Supplier - Gilbert
Bronze Sponsor - Leapfrog Recruitment Consultants
Silver Sponsor - Little Big Group
Silver Sponsor - LTS Tax
Travel Kit Sponsor - MSF
Club Sponsor - Praxis IFM
Silver Sponsor - Rossborough Insurance
Shirt Sponsor - Spring
Shorts Sponsor - Wordley Law