Loughborough Echo

Loughborou­gh Ladies show their strength in depth as they ease to victory over Sheffield Ladies

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LOUGHBOROU­GH LADIES 34

SHEFFIELD LADIES 10 LOUGHBOROU­GH Ladies, looking to break into the top three, welcomed Sheffield Ladies to Derby Road on Sunday.

The side have experience­d a growth in numbers of late and for the third outing in succession were able to give starts and bench places to several new faces as they faced the second team to step up to this league in Sheffield Ladies.

Borough added the University of Nottingham pair Lizzie Sykes and Rebecca Russell to the pack for their first start and gave bench places to Loughborou­gh College’ Ellen Dewson and new signing Bronagh Doherty.

At the whistle the visitors took the initiative and moving the ball swiftly they had Loughborou­gh defending deep in their own half and some slick passing found an overlap for Sheffield to run in and under the post for the first points and the conversion put them 7-0 up with only one minute gone.

It only took five minutes for Boro to get themselves on the board with debutant Lizzie Sykes taking a crash ball from Maria Crowfoot to smash over the white wash for the try.

On 20 minutes the home side’s dominant scrum rumbled over from five meters out for a pushover try with captain Danni Allen dotting down and Crowfoot adding the extras as Loughborou­gh took the lead 12-7.

Winger Sarah Down extended the lead on 35 minutes, but Sheffield hit back with a penalty to close the half at 17-10.

Changes made at half time saw Bronagh Doherty step off the bench and after eight minutes she latched on to a loose pass to sprint clear and run in for her debut try.

Town poured on the pressure and were rewarded on 55 minutes when second row Martha Riggs cut a fantastic line to take a tip pass from Allen to score a try, converted by Crowfoot, and on 74 minutes Riggs repeated the feat again.

These were Riggs’ first two tries after seven years playing for the club and a fitting end to the game which saw Loughborou­gh run out comfortabl­e 34-10 winners.

 ??  ?? Lizzie Sykes scores on her debut for Loughborou­gh Ladies.
Lizzie Sykes scores on her debut for Loughborou­gh Ladies.
 ??  ?? Martha Riggs is congratula­ted by captain Danni Allen on scoring her first try.
Martha Riggs is congratula­ted by captain Danni Allen on scoring her first try.

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