Ladies 37
Cheltenham 5

With the change in weather the Ladies were left with the top pitch to play there second match of the season against Cheltenham Ladies. Both sides came into the match with a 100% record but only one will finish the day with it.

Albion were able to start with a strong side and whilst mistakes were made the seven tries to won made sure that Albion would remain top of the table at the end of the day.

The visitors were ready to start on the pitch when Albion ran on as a team and you might have been concerned that Cheltenham were going to steel a few points before Albion were ready. It didn't happen but it did take awhile before the first points were put on the board.

Tracy Corby had an early chance at putting points on the board in the second minute when Cheltenham were caught off-side but the ball went past the posts on the left and no points were put in the book.

20 minutes in and despite several attacks on the line and the ball hardly coming out of the Cheltenham 22 Albion had been unable to cross the line and score some points. Terri Cormack whilst making good progress on the line flipped the ball up on being tackled but Albion's bad luck held and the ball fell in the hands of a retreating Cheltenham defence.

The first points came in the 23rd minute from a 5 metre throw in catch and drive when Claire Steer came off the back to make one of her runs for the line. The move broke down 2 metres short of the line but was quickly recycled and passed right across the front of the posts for Nancy Stone go over with the ball. 5 - 0.

Once Albion had got on the board it seemed as though it was going to be that much more difficult to stop them scoring more. Megan Higgins scored on the left from a ruck. 10 - 0.

Sonia Clatworthy made a run down the right wing chipping over the defence but the ball was kicked dead by Cheltenham before Sonia could get there.

Anna Sheppard thought she was on the score sheet when after faining to go right steps inside the defence to go over with the ball. The ref says the ball was held up but make your own judgement.

Tracy Corby got on the score sheets when she ran in from 15 metres out to score to the left of the posts. It looked as though the ball had gone over and one of the touch judges put their hand up to say the kick had made it but the referee said that it had missed and didn't even look at the touch judges.

After the third try Cheltenham seemed to make some progress and spent the last 5 minutes of the half in Albion's half but without any success.

Georgina Rozario started well in the second half when she picked her first of two tries after she put pressure on the Cheltenham defence in their in goal area.  The ball had been passed back by their scrum half to be cleared up field but the ball was dropped and Georgina did not have to be asked twice. Tracy made the conversion to bring the score to 22 - 0.

After a period of pressure from the Cheltenham and advantage in Albion's 22 that came to nothing. Cheltenham took a kick tap and moved the ball to the left wing and score their only points of the match. 22 - 5

Albion achieved the bonus point in the 27th minute of the half when captain Rachel Tucker pushes her way through a ruck close to the try line, at the breakdown a quick release enabled the ball to be passed along the line for Sonia Clatworthy to pick up the all important try in the right hand corner.

Within two minutes of Babs Jensen replacing Sonia she had a chance to pick up a try, but the line did not come quick enough and she was bundled into touch.

At a ruck in front of the posts in the 22 Albion moved their attack to the left and before Cheltenham could cover Anna Sheppard was through the defence to pick up the try she should have had in the first half.

With the last play of the match Georgina takes a tap penalty in Cheltenham 22 before running for the corner. 37 - 5.

Tristan Forster, Head Coach, said after that match that he was impressed with some of the performance, "I think we played 50-60 minutes of good rugby. We started well but took a little bit longer to cross their try line than I would have hoped. We were more incisive and came onto the ball at pace. With 7 tries we have put our stamp on the league and have put a target out there for others to follow"

Rachel Tucker, Captain, was also happy with some of the play. "Our first phases were good with the scrums and lineouts much better than last week. But hands again let us down big time. It all comes with time though, it's only our second game."

Team: Tracy Corby, Sonia Clatworthy, Anna Sheppard, Beth Simmons, Verity Waters, Nancy Stone, Georgina Rozario, Emily Murphy, Claire Steer, Vee Thompson, Jade Whitby, Megan Higgins, Jenny March, Rachel Tucker, Terri Cormack Replacements: Jo Holden(used), Gail Randell(used), Tracy Serruys(used), Barbara Jensen(used), Claire Crowther(used), Jo Richards(used)

Scorers :- Tries Anna Sheppard 2x Georgina Rozario Megan Higgins Nancy Stone Sonia Clatworthy Tracy Corby Conversions Tracy Corby

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