EMILY METCALF BREAKS FROM DEFENCE AGAINST HULLIONIANS
RFU Women’s National Junior Cup – first round
SCARBOROUGH VALKRYIES 39 HULLIONIANS 10
By DAVE CAMPBELL
The Valkryies ran in seven well-worked tries in the 39-10 defeat of Hullionians in the first round of the RFU Junior cup on a crisp autumnal afternoon at Silver Royd.
The Scarborough ladies scored an early touchdown when Jess Brookman crossed in the 7th minute; fullback Mel Halstead failed to convert but the Valkryies led 5-0.
Both sides looked to play some attractive handling rugby and the opening quarter of the match was evenly contested. However the Valkryies stretched the lead to 10-0 with a try from skipper Jess Bray in the 22nd minute.
The Humbersiders came back strongly and with a try two minutes later to reduce the arrears to five points at 10-5 however Casey Hoath went over in the 32nd minute and converted her own effort to stretch the lead to 17-5 at the break.
The visitors pulled a score back in the 50th minute to cut the lead to 17-10 and played some lovely running, handling rugby. However they failed to pierce a resolute home defence and the turning point in the game came in the form of two try-saving cover tackles from fullback Mel Halstead on either wing.
And the Talented fullback made her defensive efforts count when she got on the end of a break by Jess Bray to power over between the uprights and add the extras for a 24-10 lead in the 55th minute.
The local ladies ended the game with a flourish with tries from Jenny Arnell, Bray and Jess Bookman in the last ten minutes for a resounding 39-10 win.
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