Lichfield Ladies vs Aylesford Bulls Ladies

Review

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Lichfield Report

In round 4 of the 2016/17 Women’s Premiership games, Lichfield entertained Aylesford under the floodlights on Saturday evening.

With Lichfield keen to preserve their 100% start to the season and Aylesford showing significant improvements since last season, this game was always going to be an exciting encounter. It certainly lived up to its billing with both teams giving 100% in both defence and attack and delivering a great game for the crowd.

The first 10 minutes was very tight, with neither team having many scoring opportunities due to excellent defensive work by both. It was Lichfield who scored first when Amy Cokayne picked up a pass close to the line and was typically unstoppable as she crashed over for the first try. Despite going close Lichfield didn’t score again until the 29^th minute from a Cokayne penalty right in front of the posts giving them an 8-0 lead.

After having defended superbly, Aylesford then picked up an intercepted pass on 33 minutes with right wing Jess Wooden racing 75m to touch down under the posts, the conversion was quickly followed by an Aylesford penalty giving them a 10-8 lead. That really stung Lichfield into action and they began to stretch the Aylesford defence as they increased the pace of the game. Pacy full back Charlotte Pearce scored on 37 minutes and the outstanding Lichfield No.8 Harriet Millar Mills broke through just on half time to ensure Lichfield had the lead at 18-10.

In the second half Lichfield kept the pace and the intensity high and scored immediately after half time when inside centre Hannah Phillip touched down on 41 minutes. It was Lichfield’s outstanding pack who delivered the next score after 58 minutes when a driving maul controlled by loose head prop Katie Trevarthen drove Aylesford backwards over their own line from 25m out for her touch down, giving Lichfield a 28-10 lead. But the best Lichfield score of the day was saved to last, when after 65 minutes a free flowing move saw Lichfield take the ball almost the whole length of the pitch, with the final offload enabling Becky Noon to touch down in the corner.

To their credit, Aylesford never stopped working and had Lichfield on the defensive for most of the last 15 minutes, but because of great defence by Lichfield were only able to cross the line once more through outside centre Chantelle Miller on 71 minutes, leaving the final score at 33-15 to Lichfield.

Lichfield head coach Richard Bennett said ‘ It was very fitting that in a week when we have been celebrating Women in Sport, we should see such a great game between two very good sides. We knew that Aylesford now have a very good team who are extremely well coached and would test us to the limit. I was particularly pleased with our defensive structure, when they attacked, we managed to defend well and keep them out. I was also delighted with our teamwork, efficiency and decision making in attack, we scored six tries from six different players for another bonus point and every one of the match squad played their part in the victory. We are really looking forward to the Bristol game next week.’

LICHFIELD SCORERS

Tries :-  Amy Cokayne(10 mins), Charlotte Pearce (52 mins), Harriet Millar Mills (40 mins), Hannah Phillip (41 mins), Katie Trevarthen (58 mins), Becky Noon (65 mins)

Penalty :- Amy Cokayne

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