BIGGLESWADE LADIES 28-5 CUFFLEY LADIES
Four brilliant end-to-end tries proved telling in Biggleswade Ladies’ friendly at home to Cuffley on Sunday.
Biggleswade were on the back foot for much of the first quarter, with Cuffley making strong forward carries and forcing Biggy to make big tackles.
Full back Harriet Gumble tumbled a speeding Cuffley player into touch on a dangerous break.
Gina Roby won turnover in Biggy’s 22 and passed to Charlie Field, who - in the first of several excellent kick and chase moves - stormed through to collect her own ball and set Amy Schiller off on a powerful run.
Another Schiller charge into the Cuffley 22 set up good wide ball through the hands for the backs, but a knock-on scuppered the scoring chance.
Too many Biggy handling errors and infringements gave penalties away to Cuffley, who disrupted Biggy’s possession, particularly in the ruck.
Bev Horsefield fought back with some fierce and effective jackalling for turnover ball twice on Biggy’s own try line.
A lengthy delay for an injury to a Cuffley player added to the stop start nature of the match.
It was Cuffley who scored first after several phases of forward crash ball before they passed wide to use an overlap, cutting inside to ground the ball.
Biggy responded well, with a quick break and offload from Teri Taylor on the half way line, a step inside and a fast, angled line break from Field, then some blistering pace from Lauren Poole to cross the line. Field’s conversion meant Biggy were 7-5 up at the half way point, despite Cuffley’s greater possession.
Things began to click for Biggleswade in what turned out to be the final quarter, after the game was reduced to 60 minutes due to the earlier delay.
Biggy won ball and Poole blasted the length of the field for her second metre-chomping try.
An unfortunate yellow card for a Cuffley player for a head clash tackle saw Biggy take advantage from the resulting penalty, with Gumble powering through a gap from halfway in an uncatchable run.
Poole then finished things off ferociously with another long-distance breakaway try, powering through the last defender’s tackle at high speed.
Forward of the match: Bev Horsefield
Back of the match: Teri Taylor
Player of the match: Harriet Gumble
Conversions: Charlie Field (3), Claire Watson (1)
PHOTOS: CARL WOLFENDEN
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