After a several week break from the last league match, the SevenAyles girls returned for a hard fought battle against a tough Medway side that saw them narrowly defeated at the end.
Although you could say Medway were ‘a stronger side’ on paper having finished higher than both Sevenoaks & Aylesford in the league last season, SevenAyles showed great defence in the first half before breaking the deadlock midway through.
After good pressure a scrum is won by SevenAyles close to the try line…Libby passes back to Ellie who from 20m out makes a strong run gaining vital yards. Libby gathers the ball again gives it to Imogen who passes to Jaime who shows her strength to score in the corner! 5-0 SevenAyles.
Medway kept up the pressure from the restart and after good resistance from the SevenAyles defence they got back into the game with a well worked try in the right-hand corner. 5-5.
With the half growing to a close SevenAyles showed great team spirit going back on the attack and winning a 5m penalty. The quick-thinking Ellie takes a tap & run and whilst she can’t get it over the line, she passes to the well supporting Libby who does! 10-5 to SevenAyles at HT.
However the second half does not go to plan as the Medway girls showed why they finished 3rd in the Kent league last season...first with a try in the centre shortly after the restart and after winning a line out deep in the SevenAyles half. The conversion follows and it’s 10-12.
The SevenAyles girls did their best to fight back & searched for the next try to retake the lead….but in the dying minutes and after sustained pressure close to the Medway try line a SevenAyles pass is intercepted and from the break Medway move the ball way up field eventually winning a 5m penalty. The penalty is tapped & forced over the line with the conversion followed and the whistle is blown. 10-19 to Medway.
In truth whilst you can argue the ‘better team’ may have won, the SevenAyles girls showed they could compete with the stronger teams and on another day it could have been different.
In the post-match get together Libby is awarded back of the match and Natalie forward of the match. The games now come thick & fast with a chance for the SevenAyles girls to take what they have learnt into another tough looking match next weekend. Good luck!