Ladies extend run in style with Leigh win
SOUTHPORT Ladies continued their unbeaten league run with an emphatic win at home to Leigh Ladies.
Despite the cold, the game drew a good crowd at Waterloo Road hoping to see their team perform as they have been doing for the past two seasons. The Port Ladies did not disappoint!
Leigh got the game underway but with the kick not taken correctly, Port were awarded the scrum on the halfway line.
A positive start by Port allowed them to make some good ground but a resulting knock on saw the scrum go to Leigh. A good steal by Welsh in the loose, allowed Port to put together some excellent phases and when the ball came to outside centre Rouffignac, she exploited the gap and ran in the first try after just 5 minutes. Gaskin adding the extras.
From the restart Port continued to apply the pressure but Leigh held firm and with play continuing in the middle of the pitch, Port made hard work of making good ground until prop Walton made a storming carry into the 22.
A resulting scrum for a Leigh knock on gave Griffiths the chance to pick from the base of the scrum and crash over the line for Port’s second. The conversion just short.
Some strong carries by prop Simpson and flanker Lane, allowed Port to play some fluid offloading rugby, the result a second try for Griffiths. The conversion hitting the post.
Some good attacking play by Port and some strong defending by Leigh saw the rest of the first half play out in Leigh’s 22 with the score going into the second half at 17-0.
Port got the second half underway and continued the intensity of the first half. Some slick hands and great support play saw the ball find inside centre McArdle who ran in the first try of the second half. Gaskin unable to add the extras.
A fantastic break by prop Simpson at the restart allowed Port to storm into the Leigh 22 and some quick recycling of the ball allowed McArdle to score her second try just minutes after her first. This time the conversion was good and the Port Ladies were becoming unstoppable.
With Leigh tiring, their tackles were becoming sloppy and a penalty was awarded to Port for a high tackle. With the kick finding touch Port had the lineout in a good position but when a Leigh player intentionally knocked the ball on, she saw yellow and Leigh were down to 14. Port opted for the scrum which they had been dominating all game and a pop from Griffiths to Rouffignac resulted in an easy try for the scrum half. The conversion flew just wide.
With the restart not going 10, Port had the scrum on the halfway. The pass from the base found Gaskin who charged her way halfway down the pitch to score in the corner. Again the angle too wide for the conversion. With Leigh constantly on the back foot, Port were really showing why they are so strong this season.
Excellent support play from the forwards and a huge clear out by second row Dale, gave scrum half Rouffignac the perfect platform to get the ball to McKeown who carved up the Leigh defence and dotted down under the posts.
Gaskin with an easy conversion. A huge carry by Walton from the restart and a great break and offload by flanker Welsh to Griffiths put her in for her 3rd try of the game.
The conversion just short. From the restart, second row Gray made a good carry but with the ball knocked on, Leigh had the scrum, however, with Port showing more strength, they stole the ball and it made its way out to Gaskin who ran in her second of the game and converted with ease.
With possession switching from the restart, a knock on advantage to Port meant that young McArdle could turn on the afterburners and score her 3rd of the game under the posts with Gaskin adding the extras once again. A strong run by winger Kipling from the restart let Port make some good ground and a cute kick over by fly half McKeown saw outside centre Rouffignac catch the ball and dot it down. The conversion good.
Port left the best until last. An absolute storming run by flanker Lane resulted in a high tackle by Leigh and from the resulting line out, the Port backs showed fantastic hands and lines of running to give Rouffignac her third try of the game. Gaskin converting as the final whistle blew. Final score 79-0.