H&D Owls 14 - 38 Hampsted II

The Owls began well, putting the visitors under pressure from from the kick off. Some good driving runs from the Harwich forwards and quick recycling by scrum half Maisie Green freed fly half Annalise Allan to make a break through the middle of the Hampstead defence to score under the posts. She then scored the conversion.

The visitors then took the game to the Owls whose indiscipline saw them conceding sufficient penalties that the referee had no option but to sin bin captain Sarah Hanser. from the resulting penalty Hampstead backs found the gap created and scored in the corner.

Harwich responded forcefully and strong running from Sophia Tricker, Kimberley Hutchins and Spela Zuplan put Harwich on the front foot. The home team sustained the pressure and again good recycling by the forwards freed Allan to score her second try which she also converted.

A superb break from her own 22 by Yas Amber almost added to the home score but a superb tackle by the visiting full back stopped her just short of the line.

Hampstead began to gain more possession and scored a try just on half time making the score 14 -10 to the home side.

The home team began the second half strongly with their forwards continuing to dominate the game. Ten minutes into the half a good break by Hampstead’s outside centre saw her score under the posts. Harwich worked hard to break down the visiting defence but were unable to find a way through a well organised defence.

The visitors were still under pressure from the Owls but had the luxury of bringing on replacements as Harwich started to tire. A well worked try from turnover ball put the visitors further ahead and as the home team’s lack of match fitness became apparent, they ran in three more tries in the last ten minutes.

The final score does not reflect how close the game was and how much the Owls had dominated their opponents for large sections of the game.