West knew they faced a tough match in gusty and changeable conditions
West Norfolk travelled to Lakenham Hewett for their penultimate game of the season and won 46-19 to cement their second place finish in the Women’s National Championship East League 1 prior to their final game.
West knew that they were in for a tough match from the teams’ previous encounter and expected the Lionesses to bring the game to them.
In gusty and changeable conditions West chose to kick off and that decision was rewarded by the first two tries, from captain Sarah Hodgson (sponsored by DPH Construction) and Zoe Sharp, coming quickly in the first 15 minutes of the match.
A third break through the Lakenham defence gave Lucy Shaw her chance to score with deft passing through the backs in increasingly slippery conditions.
Lakenham Hewett come back to score from a break and then from a desperate and hard fought battle on West’s try line.
West’s forwards took over with Mary Hegarty and Charlotte Wales (pictured below) diving over the line to close the first half score at 29-12.
The second half started with a clearly determined Lakenham challenging every ruck, scrum and tackle.
The ball rarely left the pitch and while the mud increased the referee found it increasingly difficult to find grass for the forwards to reset scrums on.
Lakenham scored once more but it wasn’t enough as they met West playing at their hardest. Despite tired legs and sore muscles, West took the ball three further times over the Lakenham line.
Libby Lockwood and Laura Delany both added to their season’s score and Catherine Leach powered through to the corner on the final whistle.
The score included three conversions by Zoe Sharp in gusty conditions. Back of the match was Kathryn Sharp, sponsored by the Mortgage Bureau, for her comprehensive control of the backs and reading of the game. Forward of the match was Charlotte Wales.
West Norfolk Ladies’ last match of the league is on Saturday (16) away against Chelmsford.
Training is on Wednesday nights from 6pm for girls from Year 7 and from 7pm for the ladies at the club on Gatehouse Lane, North Wootton.
