Loughborough Ladies end league season with disappointing home defeat
LOUGHBOROUGH LADIES 14 SUPERMARINE 37
LOUGHBOROUGH Ladies hosted Swindon outfit Supermarine in their last league fixture last Sunday.
With the 1st team pitch being rested the much wider 2nd team pitch was put to use and looked to suit the home side the better but it was Supermarine who made use of the width first when after moving the ball quickly they found the space to score in the corner for a 5-0 lead after only five minutes.
The game see sawed back and forth as both sides searched for the next score Supermarine opting to use their much bigger forwards with multiple phases trying to suck in the home defence but Boro’s were well disciplined and their line speed was making it hard work for the visitors who eventually were forced to go wide and a speculative pass was superbly intercepted by centre Mireia García Santiago who showed a clean pair of heels from over half way to dot down. The conversion by scrum half Amy Relf put the home side in front 7-5.
But Supermarine staged a smash and grab when they managed to push their way up to Boro’s try line and force their way over to take back the lead 10-7.
Loughborough had the last say when Relf twice broke through a scrambled defence. The first time adjudged to be stopped illegally and the second time taking a quick tap as she danced through to score a trademark try, converting herself to the score at half time to 14-10.
The second half was not near as lively as the first with Boro suffering unforced errors when enjoying good field position and possession.
Supermarine’s patience and dominance at the breakdown and scrum time would pay dividends as they ran in 27 unanswered points to run out convincing 37-14 winners.
With league action now over Loughborough can reflect on a season where every game they have played since that opening fixture against Supermarine have seen them grow and perform better each time, selection has been a challenge, often work committment and injuries meant much change to the sides particularly positionally.
Every player involved in this season’s campaign has stepped up to the challenges the team has faced and in doing so has ensured that Loughborough Ladies will be again providing Championship 1 Rugby in Leicestershire.
Loughborough Ladies will now embark on a series of pool games against their Championship 1 counterparts from the south in their efforts to win the Championship plate , they will play two away and two home games before a final in Stourbridge should the progress.