Falcons squeeze past Overseas

Falcons 15 - Swieqi Overseas 12

With key ball-carriers Saireeta Cassar and Tessabelle Sultana - Evans back in the Overseas squad, it looked an evenly matched affair on paper. However, Overseas got off to a disastrous start when the catch was spilled from Falcons kick – off.

Playing the advantage, Beverie Sultana scooped up the ball and flipped it left to Carole Casparis, who sprinted down the touchline to open the scoring with just 30 seconds on the clock. The conversion was missed, and Falcons led by 5.

Overseas launched their first attack on the restart. A powerful break by Sultana -Evans set up Cassar, who was hauled down just 5 metres short of the Falcons line. The ball was lost and then regained, as Falcons passed forward in their desperation to clear their line. The ball was illegally kicked out of the scrum on the put-in and Overseas were awarded a penalty.

Roles were reversed as this time Cassar set up Sultana Evans, whose surging run took her clear of the defence and under the sticks. Wendy Pace landed the conversion to put her team 7-5 ahead.

At the restart, the Overseas kick failed to reach the 10 metre line and the ensuing free-kick found Sultana. She pounced on the opportunity to cut through Overseas defence before firing the ball out to Marion Azzopardi. Her run was held up but she managed to slip the ball wide to Caroline Gafa, who injected the necessary pace to finish off the move down the right wing and regain the lead for Falcons.

Overseas struck back immediately when Wendy Pace caught the Falcons kick and found Sultana – Evans, who made a surging run down the right wing. Her break was stopped, but the next play saw her involved again when she switched the ball left to Carole Gachet whose pass located the unmarked Cassar, who duly delivered the score. A pulsating first half came to an end with Overseas edging it 12 – 10.

The second half saw both teams locked in a battle for dominance. Overseas failed to capitalise when Casparis was sin-binned for a headhigh tackle which snapped Claire Casha backwards. Time and again they drove towards the Falcons line and were awarded a series of scrums, but grim defending by Falcons held them out.

The impressive Sultana -Evans thundered towards the opposing try-line, but the ball was stripped in the tackle and Sultana’s equally powerful run returned the ball to the Overseas 22 metre line. With Casparis back on, Falcons regained the momentum, and a series of attacks saw Overseas give away two penalties in quick succession as they strayed offside.

Another penalty went Falcons way after a Katka Vrybacka counter. She took it quickly and flung the ball right to Azzopardi, who set up the fast-finishing Casparis to sprint over for the score.

With the seconds ticking away, Overseas frantically looked for an opening, but knocked on as Emma Grech chose the blindside to attack, when the opposite flank looked a better option. Falcons edged the win 15-12 in an entertaining game that could have gone either way.

Star players- Beverie Sultana (Falcons), Tessabelle Sultana -Evans (Overseas) Other results Kavallieri 5 (M Spiteri) 36 (Vrybacka 2, B Sultana, C Casparis, D Sladden, M Azzopardi) Overseas 29 (T Sultana – 2, S Cassar, E Grech 2) Kavallieri 5 (M Spiteri)

Falcons Evans