Chelmsford Ladies 12 H&D Owls 29

Despite starting strongly Harwich continually lost the ground gained and possession through indiscipline and this was to be a problem for the visiting side throughout the match.

The Harwich pack were making strong runs and the backs were showing that they were going to be a threat to Chelmsford’s defensive line but good last gasp tackling prevented Harwich from scoring. The pressure eventually told when Number 8 Mimi Montgomery broke through a couple of tacklers on the home 22 to score the first try. Within a couple of minutes the same player scored again making a break down the blindside from the halfway line and out sprinted the covering defenders to score near the post. Eleanor Firth unfortunately hit the post with her conversion attempt.

With Harwich now dominating game but constantly losing ground through a steady flow of penalties awarded against them the referee eventually lost patience with the visitors and yellow carded Montgomery for an infringement at a scrum. Harwich then scored again when fly half Lucie Gibson made a superb break from halfway. Despite being tackled she offloaded to flanker Sian Fahie who moved the ball quickly to centre Becki Hare who drew in the last defender before passing to her centre partner Kristin Kvalvik to score near the corner.

From a lineout just outside the Chelmsford 22 the Owls set up a great driving maul before Fahie broke from the back of the maul to sprint in under the posts to score a try converted by Firth. As halftime approached Fahie was next to be shown a yellow card for an infringement in a ruck and The visitors had to play out the half with 13 players but still went into the break winning 0 - 22.
The second half was a messy affair with Harwich losing any real cohesion allowing the home side to to apply real pressure to the Owls’ defence for the first time. Missed tackles allowed Chelmsford through for two tries, one of which was converted before full back Firth made a strong break from deep inside her own half. Just as she was about to be caught she made a long pass to Gibson who was in support. She ran in under the posts to score and then kicked the conversion.

Harwich lost second row Naiomi Dobner to a yellow card as the referee showed his displeasure of the visitors’ frequent indiscipline and the game eventually finished early when an injury to a Chelmsford player meant a long delay and the teams agreed to call time.
Although this was not a great performance from the Owls, they easily did enough to win the game and they should be proud of their efforts through the season to finish second in a league into which they were promoted.

Report by Walter Blacker