Owls too strong for St. Francis

Although the home team started the match with some aggressive rucking, Harwich quickly turned the tables and within three minutes scored the first try of the game. Good counter rucking by the Owls turned the ball over and Kimberley Hutchins broke through the St. Francis defence on the halfway line to score under the posts.

The Harwich forwards took control of the game, dominating in the scrums and lineouts but poor handling interrupted the flow of the game. With the Owls forwards dominating both the set piece and the breakdown and the backs always threatening, it was long before they scored again. The ball went through several hands to winger Lauren Richardson. She offloaded superbly to Yas Amber who crashed through a double tackle before dancing round the St. Francis full back for a well deserved try. 0 - 12.

It looked at this stage as if the visitors would run away with the game but the home side had other ideas. Their determination, combined with some complacency from the Owls, saw St. Francis camped in the Harwich half for the next few minutes. Following a series of rucks, St. Francis created an overlap and dived over for a try. Half time score of 5 - 12.

The second half began badly for Harwich. Poor focus and discipline allowed the home team to maintain the pressure. After another infringement saw Annalise Allan sin-binned the home team created an overlap and their winger somersaulted in for a converted try to tie the match.

This was the wake up call the Owls needed and powerful running from Abi Cutts, Naomi Dobner and Mimi Montgomery put them back on the front foot. The forwards again began to dominate and the backs always looked dangerous. Two disallowed tries frustrated the visitors but they were not to be denied. A penalty on the home side’s 22 metre line was quickly taken by Cutts who was stopped in her tracks by a high tackle. She quickly took the resultant penalty and crashed over for her first try for the Owls.

The game ebbed and flowed until, with 10 minutes to go, Amber picked up a loose ball yards from her own line and out sprinted the covering defence for a try. A few minutes later a breakdown on their ten metre line saw the Harwich pack turn over the ball and Sam Evans ran in from 60 yards out for the last try of the game. With Allan converting four out of the five tries the score ended 12 - 33 to the Owls.

This was a good win for Harwich. They showed great determination and fortitude to recover from giving away a good early lead. They will need to keep this attitude as they go on to play three of the strongest teams in the league in the coming weeks.

Report By Walter Blacker