U18 Girls Progress in Cup

After their narrow win at Beccehamians, the girls played the second leg of their cup match against West Kent Divas (WKD) in what was essentially a winner takes all match. The game kicked off with Boro playing uphill into a sizeable headwind and their task soon got that bit harder as WKD took advantage of the conditions with an early try. Things were pretty nip and tuck for a period after this until WKD managed to create an overlap which desperate Boro defence couldn’t cover and WKD doubled their lead to 10-0.

Tension was rapidly growing on the touchline but the girls were beginning to find their rhythm and the rugby was starting to flow as the game progressed and a flowing move from the backs put winger Bluebell Nicholls in the clear but whilst she didn’t quite have the legs to beat the covering WKD defender who brought her down just short of the line, she had the wherewithal to literally crawl over the line when she wasn’t held and the girls were back in the game although still behind on aggregate.

Spurred on by this score, the forwards started to get in on the act and put the WKD defence under a lot of pressure. A penalty close to the WKD line gave Charlotte Williams the chance to put in one of her trademark No 8 charges to score the equalising try.

This was more like it and now the girls were in front overall but almost immediately WKD spread the ball wide and went over in the corner to reinstate parental stress levels as well as their lead. However, the forwards then went back to what they had been doing so effectively and a series of phases on the WKD line ended with Jordan Hopkins spinning free from a maul to score and restore parity at half time.

Now the girls had the conditions with them and surely that would be worth a few points in the second half. An attacking scrum and some good hands gave Bluebell the chance to score her second try which Ellie Gisbourne converted and Boro were 7 points to the good at 22-15 and now WKD needed to score twice. For a couple of minutes the stress on the touchline reduced until an excellent break from WKD lead to a converted try to level things up once more.

As we moved into the last 10 minutes, things were still tense but Boro were beginning to get the upper hand and WKD were having to defend more and more which they were doing very effectively. However, eventually, even their resolve was not enough and the girls carved out chances for Jess Breach to use her speed to get clear of the WKD defence and score two late tries to see the girls home by 32-22. Finally those on the touchline, which included all the U15s who had come over to support their team mates (thanks, girls!), could breathe easily and reflect on two really hard fought and close matches which were a credit to both sides.