Sunday 20th September Drybrook ladies had to travel to Weston Hornettes to play their first away fixture of the league. Hornettes who just beat Drybrook ladies to the top spot in the league last season on points were indeed going to be a very tough match, especially on their own ground. Last season’s first away match of the season was Hornettes with a defeat last year of 27 – 5 Drybrook was not prepared to lose again without a fight.
The match kicked off with Drybrook playing away from the club house Hornettes started applying pressure in attack phase after phase they camped out in Drybrooks half for the first 10 minutes of the game with Drybrook making tackle after tackle and defending heroically. Evenly matched in the scrums this was sure going to be a close match. Sarah Bevan playing her second game at scrum half was really applying pressure to a very well drilled Hornettes 9 forcing handing errors.
Then looking very dangerous indeed it was Drybrooks turn to attack for the next 10 minutes a bad call from Hornettes linesman a couple held up disallowed tries it just looked like luck was going to be against Drybrook.
Then finally on the 25th minute skipper Shelley Bourne saw an opportunity off the back of a scrum 15 meters out from the line she picked up and crashed over for the first try of the match. Hornettes came back fighting when a hand in the ruck on the 32nd minute lead to a Drybrook penalty 30 meters out from Hornettes try line. Ellie Underwood tapped the ball and run 10 meters offloading the ball to Lucie Smith who also made ten meters before offloading to Stevie Liddiatt who run the last ten to crash over and score the second try of the match on the far right hand side of the pitch.
Drybrook was now under pressure from an Hornettes attack a few mistakes from Drybrook lead to a few penalty’s gradually getting closer to the Drybrook try line. A massive tackle to Stevie Liddiatt meant she had to go off to Hospital with concussion. Natasha Kibble came off the bench into hooker luckily Natasha being a utility front row player showed that Drybrook had strength on and off the bench. Shelley Bourne the skipper was the next to take a knock to the back of her neck seeing Jenna Large coming on to replace her and Sarah Teague moving to 8. Half time: The second half kicked off with both teams having everything to play for relentless tackles from the Drybrook defence and once again Jess Hunt putting her body on the line time after time to make last man tackles. Hard runs from Julie Ann Norbury and Marie Grindle would gain Drybrook ground but great clearance kicks from Hornettes hooker meant they were looking to Chanise Beard to get Drybrook out of trouble which she did very well indeed. Teague who was struggling with a shoulder injury from making massive tackles at 8. Back of the Match was Sarah Bevan
With Hornettes attacking phase after phase from one side of the pitch to the other wingers Kara Tucker and Beth Powell both worked hard to make last man tackles in attempt to prevent Hornettes from crossing the line.
Then to punish Drybrook for their mistakes Hornettes prop forward with a hard run from a tap penalty lead to a try just to the left hand side of the Drybrook posts which was easily converted.
Hornettes 7pts
Drybrook 10pts
12 minutes into the second half Shelley Bourne was recovered and eager to play replacing Sarah
Roxanne Carter who had been dominating the lineouts and had been an asset to the scrums was taken off with a ankle injury and replaced by Chantel Lewis who was playing her second ever game of rugby.
Jude Arslan was an absolute rock as usual at ten with a calm head was gathering the high kicks and gaining great ground for Drybrook recycling clean ball time and time again.
22 minutes into the second half it was time for Ellie underwood to get her name on the score board against Hornettes, great hands from Micha Harris lead to Ellie looping around the outside to be the last player and worked hard to get within 5 meters of the right post. With Ellie adding the kick finally a bit of breathing room for the Drybrook Ladies by taking the lead 17 – 7. With 10 minutes left on the clock it was time to use the remainder of the bench seeing Lorna Griffiths and Frankie Meadows taking to the pitch for their second ever match. A great gather from the kick off by Jude followed by a hard run and great support from the Drybrook forwards lead to a crash ball by Ellie on the 27th minute with the kick meant that Drybrook had increased their lead to 24 – 7 with 8 minutes left to play. Then finally with a beaten Hornettes side dropping their heads a side step from Ellie gave space around the outside for Ellie to make a 40 meter run and score under the posts adding the conversion to end the game 31 – 7.
Forwards of the Match were Julie Ann Norbury & Marie Grindle.