Lutterworth  98-8  Stafford Ladies XV(Re-arranged Fixture)

1^st February 2009

RFUW NC 2 Midlands North 2 League Result

 

Stafford Ladies took the long trip down to Lutterworth to play the fixture that has been rearranged twice already so hoping today’s fixture was going to be third time lucky even with a squad of thirteen players. Leaving Stafford the sun was shining and it seemed to be a great day for a good game of rugby, an hour down the road the snow started to fall as did the temperature to match. Arriving at the Lutterworth club that seemed to be in the middle of nowhere the ladies still had smiles on there faces and were looking forward to getting the fixture underway.

First half saw the snow getting heavier but unlike the weather the ladies went out with good spirits.  The first half went quickly with the forwards being evenly matched in the scrums and Stafford managed to put up a good fight for the ball. The rucks and mauls saw a vast improvement on the previous match where the forwards worked together to keep control.  After 20 minutes, Ellie Hill had to be taken off due to a critical head injury and replaced by Stephanie Cooper.

At half time the score was 54 – 0 to Lutterworth, after a team talk and some refreshment the Stafford side went back out with more determination than ever.  The second half saw a try from Tash Hughes. New recruit Vicki had chance to show her kicking skills and just missed the conversion, to bring it back she later scored a penalty drop kick.

 

 

Eccleshall  100-0  Stafford Ladies XV

18^th January 2009

RFUW NC 2 Midlands North 2 League Result

 

Stafford Ladies start to 2009 was off to a bad start after having two games cancelled, first fixture due to bad weather and second due to the opposition’s lack of players.  However, the Ladies travelled to a sunny but bitterly cold Eccleshall’s Baden Hall Ground and from the start was too slow to get in the game allowing Eccleshall to gain speed, power and confidence against them.  Scrummaging started difficult for the Stafford Pack, their backs didn’t see the ball much through-out the game and being outpaced and many missed tackles through-out the team.  Eccleshall ran more of their tries within the first half.   Stafford stepped up their effort in the Second Half after a stern talking to by their Coach, Phil Shaylor, and this made Eccleshall have to step up a gear or two to work their way round the Stafford Backs whose confidence in rucking and tackling was a major demonstration to the training and dedication that these players and coaches have been working towards and cutting short what the score line might have been without this effort.  Although a few solo breaks were made through the Eccleshall defence throughout the game, Stafford Scrum Half, Kayleigh Lachs produced a great performance by being at most of break downs and setting up one of the only threats of putting points on the scoreboard by Staffords Pack winning a scrum, Lachs quick fired the ball down the back line, making a good distance down the pitch before Eccleshalls defence tackled Centre, Rhiannon Parton before she had chance to release the ball to the waiting open winger Zara Williams.  Despite the score, other commendable performances by Captain Carla Lund, Dee Holbrook, Laura Sheppard, Zara Williams and Ellie Hill.  Dames of the Game was awarded to Lachs (chosen by Eccleshall), and Fly Half, Jill Stanley (chosen by Stafford) for a sterling display through-out the game and playing the full eighty minutes after returning from injury.

 

9^th November 2008

RFUW NC 2 Midlands North 2 League Result

Stafford hosted a well drilled Wellingborough Team on a windy and wet Sunday afternoon. The home team started off well but Wellingborough ran well organised ball manouvres round Stafford to score within the first ten minutes. Unlike their previous weeks, Stafford was loud, defensive and good in the rucks and mauls. Though conditions was bad for both teams, Kat Williamson, Stafford Scrum Half managed to get some good balls through to the backs today with Stand-in Centres, Fiona Gardener and Laura Sheppard making some good crash balls. Jay Bosworth came on as a replacement and showed improvement in her confidence throughout the game whilst Ellie Hill made another outstanding performance with some great tackles and pace.

 

 

2^nd November 2008

RFUW NC 2 Midlands North 2 League Result

After Stafford Ladies last weeks fixture was postponed, Stafford went into their game with a good combination and number of players against a well drilled Bridgnorth side who stood second in the league. On the cold, bitter afternoon, Stafford started slowly and was soon left a score down. Jill Stanley pulled a few good tackles out but was soon substituted after her injured rib from her last match prevented her from carrying on. After letting through another try, the home side became aggressive and with Bridgnorth having a shorter front row, scrummaging was very tough. An experienced Bridgnorth Scrum Half made Kayleigh Lachs work hard for winning Dame of the Game after starting her first ever game at Scrum Half, thus making not many balls being fed the Castlefields Fly Half Kat Williamson. Stafford started to become a problem to Bridgnorth by getting in their faces in rucks and mauls but a younger Bridgnorth side managed to get the ball back and out to their backs more than Stafford and once in the visitors backs, it was a matter of speed and agility to stop to the penetrating attacks through the Stafford defence work. Ellie Hill and Williamson pulling good tackles and Stafford started putting brakes on the Bridgnorth attacks. Half time was upon the side and Stafford was down 32-0 down and Head Coach, Neil Maguire, made some changes throughout the side and Stafford started the second half attacking the receiving visitors with good lines of defence. Stafford soon broke through the visitors defence, but brought to a halt in the oppositions 22, and with the home side looked destined to score as Staffords pack pushed the smaller visitors pack and got within touching distance but Bridgnorth somehow managed to gain possession of the ball after a long struggle and by getting it out to their fly half who kicked it into touch just past the ten metre line, Staffords chance of scoring was dashed.Good work and a largely improved performance from the Stafford Team, with good rucks and mauls from the forwards and hard running from the backs. New players Kerry Price, Rhiannon Parton and Zara Williams making their debut for the Home Side. Team work being the best improvement through the squad.

Sutton Coldfield  77-0  Stafford Ladies XV

5^th October 2008

RFUW NC Midlands North 2 Result

 

The Ladies started their second game of their league season with some new backs to their team, including Dawn Bretell, Kylie West and Louise Gibson giving some impressive play.  There was some impressive scrummaging work with the town ladies only losing one scrum throughout the whole game with the nimble footed Sutton pack being held well during the scrums.  Fantastic efforts being added by Carla Lund, Ellie Hill and Kat Williamson.  Dame of the game being awarded to Judy Maguire after good ball handling and being a good all round multi-use player throughout the game, adapting well to the many positions challenged within her game.

 

 

Stafford Ladies XV  5-46  Shrewsbury

Saturday 20^th September 2008

RFUW NC Midlands North 2 League Result

 

Stafford Ladies started their first ever league campaign with home fixture against Shrewsbury.  The odds was stacked against Stafford before this match as Nic Shutt-Nullis was taken to hospital with a suspected broken ankle (luckily it turned out to be muscle and ligament damage).   Shrewsbury kicked off and within the first five minutes was 5-0 over Stafford.  This certainly gave the Town Ladies a wake up call and the Castlefields Team soon retaliated by pushing Shrewsbury back gaining into their 5 metre line but to no success.  Stafford was fighting a hard battle with some great tackles being made by Tess Hibbs and Carla Lund.  Shrewsbury broke through a few times making the scores at Half Time 15-0.  After Ladies Head Coach, Neil Maguire, gave some encouraging and hard hitting words during the interval, the Ladies with few changes to the starting line up hit Shrewsbury hard upon kick off and with some good ball handling through the backs and rucks and mauls through the forwards, Ellie Hill broke through several tackles and touched the ball down in the left hand corner.  Ball retention improved as the game progressed and Stafford kept attacking the Shrewsbury lines with superb continuing efforts from Kat Williamson.  The second half  had   Jill Stanley was brought off with a neck complaint and was later also taken to hospital.  With the scrums sadly being uncontested from the start and some great performances has given the Ladies a platform to work off ready for their next game away to Sutton Coldfield on 5^th October.

 

 

Stafford Ladies XV  10-46  Dudley Kingswinford

Sunday 14^th September 2008

Pre-season friendly

 

Stafford Ladies started their 2008/09 season with a friendly against Dudley Kingswinford and after five minutes with a un-converted try down.  The Ladies confidence was wearing thin until some great play from Kat Williamson scoring a try by falling into the goal area.  Stafford tried to hold down the drawn score line but Dudley seemed to break through on several occasions after some hard defence from the backs.  Dudleys luck was dwindling as Stafford started to pull together more and more teamwork as the game progressed. Stafford came back in the second half with more aggression and with a great tackle from Fiona Gardener, and shortly after the break a substitution, Dee Holebrook made her debut as replacement Hooker but unfortunately due to current laws Stafford dominating pack scrumming was made un-contested. Stafford held the 29-5 score line for the next twenty minutes with Ellie Hill making some good jumps in the line outs. In the last twenty minutes Stafford put pressure on the Dudley Defence.  After a great twenty metre dash, Ellie Hill’s try was denied by a lucky last minute tackle by Dudley pushing her foot out of play before she had chance to touch the ball down.  Julia Kendrick shortly after kicked the ball over the Dudley defence and with some speed broke through the bewildered defence and with a chase kicked the ball down the field.  After scoring by the ball hitting the base of the posts, with Dudley in close chase Julia picked the ball up and made sure she scored between the posts.  Stafford failed to score the conversion and final score was 46-10 to the visitors.  Stafford was pleased with their ending performance and enjoying first game of the season they look forward to the season ahead.