Harwich & Dovercourt Owls 20 Bury Foxes 0

On a pitch unsuited to their open style of play, Harwich demonstrated a rugged determination in overturning a team with a much bigger pack.

The match began with the home side putting themselves under pressure with a handling error but quickly made amends with Emma Simons hooking the ball against the head. The Harwich backs continued to probe for gaps in the Foxes defence but were met with some strong tackling by the visiting centres and number eight. The Harwich forwards began to show some powerful running with Abi Cutts, Tasha Bray and Laura Hudson making great gains before the backs were released. Bury used their big forwards to great effect but some fierce tackling by Sophia Tricker and Bron Skipworth kept them at bay.

The home side eventually made the breakthrough from a well worked set piece move by the backs with full back Sybil Taunton bursting through a space and out sprinting the visiting defence from the halfway line. After this try the game became a bit of an arm wrestle in the middle of the pitch with some ferocious tackling by Mimi Montgomery keeping Bury from advancing. A defensive error let the Foxes into the home 22 for the first time but a try saving tackle by Tricker and a good clearance kick eventually saw off the danger the home team made some changes for the second half and the running of Annalise Allan and Yas Amber proved more of a threat and Naomi Dobner added to the forward power. The home pack were now dominating the visiting pack in the set piece and making good gains through out-mauling the Foxes. Kimberley Hutchins was now finding more space and after making a good break was driven over the line by the supporting forwards for a well deserved try. It didn’t take the Owls long to add to their total when Cutts charged through two tacklers from the base of a ruck to score her first try of the season.

Harwich kept the best till last. The forwards won good ball just outside the visitors’ 22 and the ball was quickly moved through the line for Amber to score in the corner.

This was a good victory for the Harwich side. It keeps them in the race for promotion but more importantly showed they are improving at adapting their game to meet the conditions and opposition tactics.