Our last game of 2016, and we wanted to finish the year off on a high. We started off extremely well, holding onto possession and keeping the handling errors down considering the tough conditions on the pitch with many puddles and the ball feeling like it was made of sandpaper.
The score remained 0-0 until about 20 minutes into the game, the Swans defence was on form on the edges, when we got the ball out wide we were taken into touch or tackled before the tryline. So taking a different approach Tink (11) was sick of lying across the touchline in their fullbacks arms, although she did offer a good spoon this was neither the time nor place! So Tink stepped inside the next time she got the ball out wide to score the first try of the game (unconverted).

After kick-off we managed to get possession back almost immediately thanks to second row Sham (5) burrowing in the ruck to get the ball and throw it out to Mel (10) who doubled up with centre Liss (12) to tag-team the opposition fullback. Mel (10) ran straight ahead drawing in the defence to offload in time for Liss (12) to have the freedom to score by the posts, this try went converted, bringing the score to 0-12.

The scrums were fantastic this half after a scrum coaching session earlier on in the week which seemed to help the forwards greatly. The forwards worked their magic again and again this half, massive tackles coming in from Zoe (6), Boe (8) and Nic (7) to force a knock-on which was swiftly gathered by Voms (9) running from the half way but being tackled 5 metres short of victory, Swans defence didn't get back in time and supporting Moseley player Clare (15) picked up the ball from Voms' hands and had an easy run in to score the last Moseley try of the game. The scoreline now stood at 0-17 at half time.

The second half we were now set to play uphill but yet to realise that the game was about to go massively downhill from here for us. From kick off Buckingham gained possession and kept it for most of the half. Constant pick-and-go's from the Buckingham forwards found them edging to the tryline and successfully scoring from a maul 5 metres out.

With a lot of scrums occurring and now having to scrummage uphill Moseley couldn't get their studs into the ground firmly enough to hold Buckingham off and the Swans' forwards did what they do best to get themselves over the line and scored from a massive scrum which was 5 metres out again.

Moseley were having the defend for their lives at this point, the scoreline now 10-17 Swans were only a converted try away from drawing and 2 tries from victory, and when their forwards scored yet again from a driving maul at the 70 minute mark Moseley were adamant to keep the score at 15-17.

We did all we could, the ground being unforgiving and Swans having scrums in their favour in a dangerous place for us we did all we could to get into their half, a few kicked balls to touch were taken well but the opposition lineouts were better on the day and we lost possession here again and again. Some massive tackles driving the opposition back or to touch from Steph (moved to 7 in second half), Mel (10) and Lauren (1) held off the opposition, as well as 8 tries held up by Clare (15), Sham (5), Voms (9), Dani (13), Liss (12) Steph (7) and Mel (10), until the last few minutes when another maul led to the final try of the game making the scoreline 20-17.

Moseley were gutted, caked in mud and aching all over for a narrow loss was not what we travelled all that way for, but encouraging words from Captain Nic and Coach Bus brought the ladies hopes back up and we enjoyed the muddy conditions before a shower, as well as prosecco in the bar thanks to Goater and baked good from Lauren (1).