Sunday afternoon saw the first ever visit to Lily Hill Park by Reading Abbey U15s Girls.

Abbey Girls are another local(ish) side with a growing Girls Section that is strongly supported and well coached by their high flying senior ladies who play in the Championship, only a league below the Allianz Premiership. It was going to be a stern test.

Buoyed by our last outing and convincing win against Maidenhead RFC, the players attitude was focussed on the challenge that lay ahead. Prior to Kick Off a minutes applause was held in memory and celebration of Maddie Lawrence, UWE Rugby Player who had sadly passed away after being injured whilst playing. RIP Maddie - our thoughts and prayers are with your family and friends.

Playing away from the club house in the 1st half, the challenge ahead was evident from the kick off. Abbey had come to play rugby and from the early exchanges each side cancelled each other out. Neither side could really establish a dominance and we exchanged scores in what was a cagey performance with both sides exploring the others defences.

A try out wide for Full Back Denise Spencer for our 1st score was greatly needed to calm some early nerves. Showing no signs of nerves was our vastly improving scrum half Lily Dondi. Lily has been working hard on her game and especially her vision and scanning approaching the breakdown. Her opportunity arose from a keenly contested ruck, where she spotted the blindside winger had been sucked in and Lily took full advantage, scampering down the blindside and beating the covering fullback to score what would be the 1st of her two try’s in the match.

However, the sides could barely be separated at Half Time with Abbey leading 12 - 10. Only a conversion in it.

Into the 2nd Half and Bracknell had to soak up some early pressure. Cover tackles by full back Denise Spencer, Fia Gale and mobile 2nd row Scarlett McDonald prevented Abbey from crossing our line. But Abbey weren’t done yet. They rallied again and after some technical infringements, made there way up the grand stand touchline where, from a resulting lineout, and some nice handling they scored out wide. Conversion missed (17 - 10).

With 15 minutes to go, Bracknell began to exert their dominance at the break down and the tackle area that would prove key to the outcome of the game. Maintaining the pressure on the opposition, capitalising on their errors and taking advantage of dry conditions provided the key to our success.

Another sniping try by scrum half Dondi from a ruck a metre out brought Bracknell back into the game but it remained 17 - 15 to the visitors. 5 minutes later and Emery capitalised again on some loose tackling to score out wide with a strong leg drive to cross the whitewash. Conversion missed, but the lead regained 20 - 17. The tide was beginning to turn.

Two minutes later, Iris Komuhendo the Bracknell No. 8, took full advantage of some quick recycled ball just into the Abbey half to crash through the line, fend off a couple of would-be tacklers and round the full back to dot down. Emery added the extras (27 - 17).

Late into 2nd half now and with Abbey applying more pressure, Bracknell found themselves 10 yards from their own line and Abbey in possession from their own lineout. From a resulting strong tackle and turnover in our 22, centre Malene Bowden-Evans crashed the ball up to the gain line and her off load found fly half Maddi Emery. With only the 70 yards to go, and the majority of the Abbey team between her and the try line, she set off on an arcing run before stepping back inside to beat the 3 covering defenders and score under the posts. Emery exhausted, Bowden-Evans added the Extras to seal a scintillating win 34 - 17.

Congratulations Girls!

POTM - Denise Spencer