Ladies 1st XV 38 - 15 Old Patesians Ladies

Player of the Match - Amy Dollery

Squad: Charlie Pugh, Hayley Slimm, Steph Beddall, Rebecca Jenkinson, Katie Sutton, Rachel Webly, Wendy Harrison, Abigail Wilkes, Helen Simonds, Vickie Merrick, Kate Yates, Melissa McCalla, Lucy Evans, Amy Dollery, Barbara Palmieri, Leah Haney Wilcox, Lauren Johnson, Vicky Blunt, Adele Littler, Deb Harris, Jess Everhurst.

Scorers: Tries- Hayley Slimm (1), Lucy Evans (4), Kate Yates (1),

Conversions - Vickie Merrick (2), Barbara Palmieri (2)

Stourbridge Ladies had the advantage of the sloping pitch and a gusty wind in the first half and immediately from receiving the kick off, the forwards drove deep into the Old Pats half with some impressive off loading in the tackle by Rebecca Jenkinson, Katie Sutton and Wendy Harrison gaining significant territory. After five minutes of unrelenting pressure Hayley Slimm emerged from the bottom of an unstoppable rolling maul to open the scoring. (0-5)
The forwards continued to dominate the loose play and when a series of rucks between half way and the opposition 22 set up quick ball for the back line, it was swiftly passed out wide to the right for Lucy Evans to out pace the defence to score in the corner. Vickie Merrick then succeeded with an excellent conversion (0-12).
Old Pats responded well to this setback winning turnover ball from a scrum on half way, breaking free down the blind side to score an opportunist try. (5-12)
With five minutes to half time Stourbridge Ladies needed to turn their dominance into points and an almost carbon copy move of Lucy Evans’ first try allowed her to bag her second. (5-17). Straight from the restart the Stourbridge forwards caught the ball drove forwards, sucking in defenders. Helen Simonds then moved the ball wide through the backline for Lucy Evans to score her hat trick. Vickie Merrick successfully scoring the conversion with the last kick of the half. (5-24).

Stourbridge started the second half comfortably, continuing to hold the heavier Old Pats scrum at bay and winning good ball in the lineouts. A blind side break from within her own half by the Old Pats scrum half looked as she had a clear run to the try line but Katie Yates ran her down over 40 metres to make a try saving tackle and clear the ball. The Stourbridge forwards then reprised their first half performance by driving the ball up the pitch through some excellent quick rucking and off loading in the tackle. This set up the backs to move the ball wide for Lucy Evans to evade the Old Pats defence and score under the posts. Barbara Palmieri converting. (5-31)
After 20 minutes of the second half, Old Pats then repeated their feat of winning turnover ball and attacking down the blind side to score their second try. (10-31)
With Stourbridge being disrupted by a number of niggling injuries and the opportunity to use replacements from a full squad of 20 players, the Stourbridge team had to defend well against the slope and wind to keep Old Pats from getting back into the match. Excellent tackling by all the Stourbridge players in particular Rachel Webly, Abz Wilkes, Melissa McCalla and Amy Dollery kept Old Pats from threatening the Stourbridge dominance of play.
It was going to take a very good move to break the Stourbridge defence and when a scissors move saw the Old Pats no.12 burst through the line she was unstoppable from 10 metres out. (15-31)
Stourbridge then returned to their dominance of the game playing the last fifteen minutes in Old Pats territory. A quickly taken tap penalty by Lauren Johnson, just inside the 22m line enabled Katie Yates to burst through three tackles to score a well deserved try. Barbara Palmieri converting with what was to be the last kick of the game. (15-38)