U15s Girls land "Area" win & secure a place in the Semi-Finals for the South Cup competition

The Fords (mixed team Dartfordians and Aylesford) v Sutton and Epsom

Last Sunday our under 15s girls traveled to Sutton and Epsom, to meet the champions of one of the other pools.

The weather was perfect for rugby, the autumn sun shone brightly and the air was crisp. I will return to the air later, suffice to say, Aleisha chose to play downhill with the sun at the girl’s backs in the first half.

The starting pack was made up of Ciar, Lucy and Lola, strongly supported by Jess and Emily in the second row and Teyar at 8.

Contrary to our customary poor start, the girls got off to a flyer, the kick off was spilled and the girls immediately exerted pressure. During the open play that followed, the ball went out to the Sutton girls who spread it wide, only to be brought to a very sudden halt by Evie our elf like winger, yet again punching well above her weight. More open play was cheered on by the crowd, Teyar taking an early opportunity to use all her experience and strength to power through the S&E defence to score, the beginning of an outstanding performance by her. Aleisha slotted the conversion and the Fords were 7-0 to the good.

Our girls were dominant throughout most of the first half, the backs of Lauren at scrum half, Aleisha 10, Georgie at inside centre partnered by Robyn, with Evie and Lizzy on the wings, full back Hermione played fast and open rugby but could not breach the S&E defensive line. In fact the attack was turned over 3 times in the first half, each time leading to an S&E try. At half time the score was 17-7 to the home side.

I said I would return to the air, it was a trifle blue around the girls (sugar and spice?) The girls undertook a session on what they did wrong, the coaches asked them to focus on what they did right, some inspirational words from Joe who had just returned from New Zealand, focused the girls minds on working hard for each other. Bring on the second half.

Both Ciar and Emily had left the field due to injury and were replaced by Kitty in the second row and Lara at tighthead. Not bad for her second ever competitive game, she was given the challenge and rose to it. Izzy replaced Robyn at half time, to ensure that as many of the girls could get game time. Robyn had acquitted herself well and it was a tremendous shame that the coaches had to take her off.

The Fords girls started their fight back, hold on to your hats while you read the second half report. Having dominated the set piece, our girls released the human missile that is Lizzy, rocketing uphill with ball in hand, fending off defenders and round towards the posts to claw back some of the points, 17-12, the conversion by Aleisha took the score to 17-14.

Ciar returned to the pitch and Jess gave way, the second row had been workmanlike throughout the game and deserved a rest. Lara joined Kitty in the second row and Ciar went back in at tighthead.

Following the kick off, the girls enjoyed more open play, a spilled ball was gathered by Izzy who had clearly decided that her diminutive size was no object for her, when tackled she presented the ball perfectly. Lauren has been growing in stature as scrum half and the ball spread to Hermione who straightened the attack, having come forward from full back to centre, a decision that she made to strengthen the attack. It has to be said that Georgie also had a strong game, doing everything right, linking the half backs with the attack. Play was driven up the middle to just beneath the E&S posts, when Lauren mimicked Danny Care to dart over and stretch for the next try, 19-17, Aleisha guided the ball between the uprights to extend the lead to 21-17.

At the kick off the girls turned up the heat, a quick tap and go penalty resulted in the ball going through the hands of most of the team, then Lola reminded us that she is not just a fantastic loose head in the set piece, she swept aside the defence to go over 10 metres left of the posts, knowing that would be the preferred side for Aleisha to slot another conversion, 28-17.

The S&E girls had awoken a dormant beast, the pack, especially Teyar, Ciar Lola, Lucy and the club debutant Lara, attacked with gusto, a magnificent effort from the pack.

A knock on at the re-start gave S&E their first platform of the second half, well that is what they thought, the Fords pack was not in the mood to give up. Recovering possession, the ball was spread out to Evie who offloaded to Izzy when, at the tackle, Lucy popped up as she often does, supplying quick ball to the backs, great handling skills resulted in Lizzy receiving the ball at pace, screaming up the touch line and then turning towards the posts, she dotted the ball down in the same place that Lola had before. Aleisha was in no mood to let up the pressure as she converted the try, 35-17.

S&E gave it a go and an unintentional high tackle saw the hosts spread it through the backs, Georgie was the most alert and stripped the ball from her opponent in the tackle reminiscent of some of the great professionals we see on television. Izzy, growing in confidence danced up the pitch straightening the attack. Hermione linked and scythed through the defence. At the breakdown there was a turnover, however the Fords were in the right area of the pitch.

The Fords increased their pressure, attacking without the ball, creating mistakes and pouncing on the opportunities that followed. An uncharacteristic handling error delayed the inevitable, regathering possession allowed another score from Lola, a little nearer the posts but that did not matter to Aleisha, she took aim and fired the ball over for the final conversion. 42-17.

Coach Gareth said that one could be misled into thinking that Aleisha was just there for the kicking, but she was a colossus in the tackle area too, directing the parsimonious defence .
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When the final whistle blew, the smiles on the player’s faces said it all, they were quite superb, a little reminder of what they can do when they put their minds to it. One day they will believe their coaches and have some confidence, I look forward to that day, well done to the girls.