Ladies XV vs Aspull - 19th Jan 2025
Aldwinians v Aspull Sunday 19th January
On a cold Sunday afternoon at Audenshaw Park the only remaining two unbeaten teams in
NC3 North (West) met. Aldwinians kicked off and immediately put pressure on the Aspull possession with quick line speed and solid tackling in defence. The ball was turned over and Whitney Fawkner made a line break going behind the sticks to score after 4 minutes. The referee deemed her foot to have crossed the dead ball line and a goal line drop out was the decision. On the restart Aldwinians gathered the kick and attacked the Aspull defence again. Aspull were penalised for a high tackle and from the resulting penalty Anna Clarke found her way over the try line to score.
Aldwinians 5 Aspull 0
Rachael Marrow was successful with the conversion pushing the score to 7-0 in favour of Aldwinians.
From the Aspull restart Rachel Davis made good yards up the field but in the process an Aldwinians knock on was called by the referee so the first scrum of the game.
The Aldwinians pack turned the ball over at the scrum pushing the Aspull pack of their own ball.
From the turnover possession Dearbhla McCoy at 12 made a good break reaching the opposition’s 10 metre line. The Aldwinians forwards moved the ball up field metre by metre with their slow ball routine. Again Whitney Fawkner broke the defensive line but in the process the ball was deemed to be knocked on. Second scrum to Aspull. Small break in play as an Aspull player was treated for an injury and they had to make a replacement. Aldwinians take the second scrum and a good break from the 8 position takes the ball to the try line but again it was spilled forward. The next scrum was only 5 metres from the Aspull line but the away side secured their own ball. The decision was to play out from behind their own line and pressure from Aldwinians resulted in Jess Stafford ripping the ball from the Aspull player’s possession over the try line and scoring to make the difference 12-0 to Aldwinians with 15 minutes gone.
Rachael Marrow then proceeded to add the extras for a 14-0 lead.
Aspull restarted the game with a deep kick off which was returned back to the Aldwinians 10 metre line by Jess Stafford. From the next phase Aldwinians were forced into touch for an Aspull line out, first of the game. The away side secured their own line out possession and from the maul a box kick was sent up from the Aspull scrum half. Aldwinians were then penalised at the break down and Aspull gained more territory with a kick to touch. From the resulting line out a knock on from Aldwinians gave Aspull a scrum just outside the Aldwinians 22. The scrum was won by Aspull and they began to make their way to the Aldwinians try line. Another offence by the home side gave Aspull a penalty which they made no delay in choosing to take the attempt at goal.
The Aspull kicker made no mistake and reduced the score line to 14-3.
Aldwinians took the restart and in the next phases of contact a good jackal from hooker Lauren Coxhill gave the Aldwinians back line a chance to attack from turnover ball. Aldwinians full back Ciara Hodson made good yards down the Aldwinians left flank but from the tackle to halt her progress the Aspull player was unfortunately treated for an injury and had to be replaced, the second of game for the away side. The referee restarted the game with an Aldwinians scrum and again a break from the 8 Anna Clarke gave Aldwinians good field position in the Aspull half. A high tackle was then called by the referee on the Aldwinians 8. This resulted in a yellow card being produce reducing the away side to 14 players with 30 minutes on the clock. Aldwinians executed one of their pre-set penalty moves but the ball was knocked on in the process. Aspull win possession at the scrum and the scrum half kicks clear. The Aspull team chase the kick and Aldwinians knock the ball on for an Aspull scrum.
For whatever reason the Aspull scrum half puts the ball in from the Aldwinians side helping the home side’s hooker with the strike. Scrum won by Aldwinians and the ball is moved up field by the backs and recycled by the pack. A gap appears and Aldwinians 10 Rachael Marrow ghosts over unopposed but just as the ball is being put down the referee stops the game to treat an Aspull player on the ground. The away side are not having a great deal of luck with injuries as a third player has to be replaced. With Aldwinians in possession they get the put in at the scrum, the ball is won and moved down the blind side out to winger Kayti Calderbank who scores to extend the lead to 19-3 after 34 minutes of play. No extras for the home side on this occasion.
Aspull restart the game with another deep kick off into Aldwinians territory but Dearbhla McCoy returns the ball back to the Aldwinians 10 metre line. Another infringement by the home side presents the capable Aspull kicker with a chance of a repeat of the previous penalty which is taken and converted without issue.
Score line now at half time Aldwinians 19 Aspull 6.
Second half restarted by the away side, the ball collected from the kick off and gradually moved up the field with some good handling by the Aldwinians back line. The Aspull 22 metre line is made but a knock on halts the progress. The home side secure the possession at the scrum but the clearance kick only makes 10 meters keeping Aldwinians deep in the Aspull half and more importantly does not make touch. The ball is gathered by Aldwinians and moved to the opposite side of the field and centre Rachel Davis powers over the line for the try on 41 minutes.
Aldwinians 24 Aspull 6
Aspull restart and Aldwinians knock on into touch trying to catch. From the Aspull line out flanker Katy Davies turns over the ball but no progress is made and the referee comes back for Aldwinians advantage holding on the floor. The kick is made for touch but sadly does not make it. Aspull take the ball forward into the middle of the pitch but at the breakdown another turnover is secured. From the forward drives at the breakdown another penalty against Aspull for a high tackle is called by the referee. The player in question was the same as the first yellow card so a red card was then produced making the away teams challenge much harder. Aldwinians then executed another set piece penalty move but managed to lose ground from misplaced passes and eventually knocking the ball on giving Aspull scrum possession on half way. The away scrum half continued to put the ball in from the Aldwinians side and the home pack pushed the away pack off the ball at the scrum and another Aspull injury but the referee penalised Aldwinians and Aspull gained yards from the kick to touch. Aspull win the line out but a crunching tackle from Jess Stafford results in an Aldwinians scrum. From the scrum another pre rehearsed move is completed only to spill the ball forward and the attack comes to nothing. Aldwinians then move offside at the scrum and concede ground from the kick to touch up to the Aspull 10 metre line. The home side win the line out and another penalty for a high tackle is awarded with Rachael Marrow kicking to touch for an Aldwinians line out in the Aspull half. Yet another move from the line out is made but just as the line beckons the ball is knocked on for Aspull scrum possession. The scrum is won by the away side but the clearing kick does not reach touch and the Aldwinians backs take the ball down the left hand side of the pitch with good passing for Dearbhla McCoy to score.
Aldwinians 29-Aspull 6 with 68 minutes gone.
Aspull restart and winger Mattison Downs returns the kick with interest down the Aldwinians left hand side passing to Rachel Davis who is bundled into touch.
Aldwinians steal possession at the line out and the next passage of play was the best of the game. Movement from player to player drawing the opposite number in for full back Ciara Hodson to finish the move from the Aspull 10 metre line.
Aldwinians 34- Aspull 6.
This remained the score line as the game was completed.
Credit to Aspull who never gave up despite the injury and card issues.
We look forward to the return match later in the season.