Match Report | Eagles beaten in Women's North Championship Grand Final
23/09/2024
Sheffield Eagles Women’s Red side were defeated 46-6 in the North Championship Grand Final against Leigh Leopards on Sunday afternoon.
After finishing the regular season in 2nd place, last weekend saw the side beat Salford Red Devils to set up Sunday’s trip to Leigh.
Leigh went the full season unbeaten in the league, and got another victory themselves in last weekend’s fellow semi-final to book their place in the Grand Final.
It was the home side who struck first in the only the fifth minute as play was spread towards the right edge, and the move was finished off in the corner by Toryn Blackwood for the game’s first try.
Sheffield instantly responded through Hailey Swann as she made a dart for the line after receiving an inside ball from the right. Her strong run from ten metres out saw her meet a handful of Leigh defenders, but the power in her run saw her spin and ground the ball on the turn to level the game.
Tori Thomas’ conversion from the right-hand side put the Eagles 4-6 ahead in the tough and rainy conditions.
Seven minutes later, the home side re-took the lead at Leigh Miners Welfare ARLFC as Grace Hill added a try underneath the sticks, before Charlotte Melvin’s conversion took the score to 10-6.
Sheffield and Leigh both battled against each other in the ever-worsening North West conditions, but the home side went on to score once more before the break through Claire Collins, who ensured her side lead 16-6 at the break.
It took Leigh only three minutes into the second half to score again as Kate Howard worked her way through the Eagles defence to ground the ball to the right of the sticks.
Back-to-back scores for the home side followed for Leigh as Becky Greenfield touched down in the left corner to score in the 53rd minute, before Claire Collins added a second try of the game for herself only minutes later.
Leigh made it 36-6 just after the hour mark as Greenfield added another score out wide in the left corner, before finishes from Storm Cobain and Hattie Dogus in the closing exchanges of the game rounded off a 46-6 win for the Leopards.
We’d like to wish Leigh the best of luck in the Championship North/South Final this coming Sunday where they will take on London Broncos at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham.
Leigh: Dogus, Blackwood, Melvin, Young, Greenfield, Burke, Morrin, McCosh, Howard, Quinn, Morris, Cobain, Hill
Interchanges: Mullaney, Johnson, Dainty, Collins
18th Player: Seddon
Tries: Blackwood (5’), Hill (18’), Collins (32’, 58’), Howard (44’), Greenfield (53’, 62’), Cobain (77’), Dogus (80’)
Goals: Melvin (5/9)
Sheffield Eagles: Judd, Clarke, Taylor, Thomas, Price, Swann, Pommier, Frederick-Maynard, Wood, Saunders, Tierney, Rainey, Evans
Interchanges: Auger, Milton
Tries: Swann (11’)
Goals: Thomas (1/1)
