Ladies 14 Wasps 31

By Frank Stormont
September 21 2006

Playmouth Albion Ladies take the first 30 minutes and lead by 14 points to nil before London Wasps come back.

 

Plymouth Albion Ladies 14 London Wasps II  31

With around 100 spectators including a number of the men's team and members of the Devon Referee's Society Albion Ladies started as the meant to go.  They won the possession, territory and the blow of the whistle for the first half hour. 

With only 6 minutes on the clock Albion took advantage of a penalty under the posts when they took a tap penalty before a driving maul went over the line for Anna Shepard to score under the posts. The try was easily converted by Tracy Corby. 

On 20 minutes it looked as though Wasps were going to even the score but good defending by Albion turned the ball over for a scrum on their own 5 metre line. 

Just short of the half hour Nancy Stone kicked the ball through the line and then a further 3 times before being tackled by Wasps just short of the line.  Spectators were calling for a penalty try but only a penalty was awarded,  it didn't mater as the ladies performed the same move they had in the 6th minute, this time with Camilla Smallwood judged to have touched the ball down.

Wasps number 8 was at the end of a passing and running move to put their first points on the board and without a kicking tee their prop, using a marker cone as a tee, got the direction right but the ball went under the posts to bring the score to 14 - 5. In the last play of the half Wasps bought the lead down to just two points with a converted try.

Wasps were now well in the match and were not giving anything to Albion and within the first minute of the second half Wasps had scored another try in the corner and taken the lead for the first time.

On 23 minute of second half Wasps were reduced to 14 after a high tackle on Kim Davis. Albion were unable to take advantage of the penalty or the extra player and Wasps quickly scored their forth try of the match bringing the score to 14 - 24. Just to finish Albion off a final converted try came on the 34th minute of the half.

Tristan Foster said that Albion gave another 110% performance. That they had Wasps under the cosh for the first 30 minutes of the game. The London side showed talent and superior fitness showed and came good in the end. We go away and learn the lessons but we can have our heads held high after our performance. There were outstanding performances by many of the girls and no one player stood out from the rest.

We have a week off now and we have the chance to work on the areas that need to be worked on before three more home matches.

 

More photos in Album

 

Albion: Tracy Corby, Nancy Stone, Anna Shepard, Claire Garrett, Kim Davis, Sonia Clatworthy, Georgia Rozzario, Jenny Dyer, Claire Steer, Vee Thompson, Camilla Smallwood, Helen Duffin, Sam Bunyan, Rachel Tucker, Terri Cormack.  replacements Jo Holden, Hayley Wilson, Megan Higgins, Rachael Chidge. (all used)

Scores: Tries Anna Shepard, Camilla Smallwood Conv. Tracy Corby(2)