Cheltenham edge home to set up final with Thurrock

» CHELTENHAM will face Thurrock in the Women’s Championship play-off final at Newlands Park on May 1 after edging out Old Albanians 38-36 in the semi-final.

They ran in three tries in the last 11 minutes of the game to seal the win, scoring six tries in all.

The first came on five minutes from Eeva Pohjanheimo, converted by Erin Caughey, who also added the extras to Bethan Jones’ 17th-minute try.

In the second half, Monique Coffey went over after 51 minutes, then Abigail Walker scored with 69 minutes gone, Mary-ann Gittings converting.

Pohjanheimo scored her second try with five minutes left, and the final score came in the final minute from Wales Six Nations squad member Emma Hennessy, Gittings converting to seal the victory.

Now Cheltenham, who won the North section of the Championship, host Thurrock, who had a semifinal walkover against Lichfield and won 17 of their 18 regular season games in the South section. Their defeat came at Bath, where they went down 12-7.

Cheltenham won 17 and drew one of their 18 games, the 10-10 scoreline from their game at Lichfield the sole blot on their unbeaten campaign, so a tight game is in store.

Cheltenham’s second XV have finished top of the Women’s National Challenge One South West (East) table despite a 24-12 defeat by Havant.

Elizabeth Morgans and Amalia Westerlund scored their tries, with one of them converted by Chloe Dumbreck.

Drybrook finish fourth in the same division but they ended their campaign with a 51-37 defeat at Oxford Harlequins, former England international Ceri Large scoring five tries, with one apiece for Mackenna Brace and Becky Jones.

Cheltenham Civil Service earned their first win in the Women’s National Challenge Two South West (North) as they beat Witney Angels 33-10.