Stanford Le Hope 0 H&D Owls 49

After an enforced five week layoff the Owls rose to the challenge with a superb performance at Stanford le Hope. Last minute call offs meant a re-juggle of positions but the team rose to the occasion and put in one of their best performances of the season.

The Harwich side settled quickly, scoring within the first minute. The home side knocked on from the starting kick and from the resulting scrum the Owls set up a couple of good phases before passing the ball down the line for Yas Amber to score. With both packs evenly matched at the breakdowns, it was the Harwich backs who made the difference with Stanford struggling to defend against the visitors speed and handling. Kimberley Hutchins broke from the halfway line to score a great individual try and following a strong run from winger Lauren Richardson and good offload, Hutchins went over for her second try.

Powerful running by Abi Cutts, Naomi Dobner and Debbie Lammond started to give the pack some ascendency and this kept Harwich on the front foot and Stanford under constant pressure. With stand in scrum half Bron Skipworth growing in confidence in her new role, the pressure mounted and from a series of phases the ball was handled quickly through the backs for winger Hannah Martin to score in the corner. The home team came straight back in attack and had the Owls under pressure but the defensive line was impenetrable and when a Stanford player did break the line, they were met with some textbook booming tackles from full back Yas Amber.

The second half was more open and Harwich had to demonstrate their resilience for a while. Strong tackling from Lammond, Cutts and Laura Hudson kept home breaks to a minimum and soon Harwich again began to dominate both the set piece and breakdown. Hutchins again broke from halfway to complete her hat-trick of tries and Amber also ran in from a similar position, bouncing defenders off to score. Keeping the ball secure through several phases, Harwich scored again when Skipworth bulldozed through the home defence to score. Cutts then picked up at the back of a five metre scrum to dive over for a well- deserved try. Amber converted the try and with the last move of the match charged through for her hat-trick try that she also converted.

This win keeps the Owls just behind league leaders Medway whom they meet at Low Road on 20th. March for a showdown.