Match Report | Sheffield Eagles Women Gold 12-38 Workington Town
30/07/2024
The Sheffield Eagles Women Gold team sitting bottom of League 2 played this fixture at home against Workington Town Ladies at the Hallam Sports Park on Sunday 28th July 2024, having lost the away fixture 32-16 in early June.
After coming under intense pressure in their own 20m zone for four 4 minutes, the Eagles conceded the first try to a wide shift left by Workington to left centre Scrimgour, who found a way around the edge of the Eagles defence in the 5th minute. Conversion unsuccessful, score 0-4.
Both sides managed to pressure their opponent’s lines but without success. However the Eagles conceded a scrum on half way after a tackle was ruled as a knocked-on one on one ball steal. Workington concentrated their attacks down their left edge, which gradually caused most of the Eagles defence to shift to the their right side of the pitch. Finally Workington shifted things to their right side, where centre Bold picked a line though the thinned and staggered Eagles edge to go over in the tackle in the 13th minute 10m to the right of the posts. Ivison converted for a 0-10 lead.
From the restart Workington managed to mount another attack deep into Eagles territory with a last tackle kick that forced a goal line dropout, but the Eagles were this time able to defend out the onslaught and managed to win a tap 20 restart. However an understandable error on the 40m line by an inexperienced player conceded a scrum from which Workington played deep into the Eagles 10m zone. This time a Workington error handed the ball over and the Eagles escaped the pressure. A weaving run from winger Dex moved the Eagles 45m from their 25m line to Workington’s 30m line. Pressure was exerted in the Workington 20m zone with the last tackle kick forcing Workington bring the ball out from their own 1m mark. Good Eagles defence then forced Workington to fluff their last tackle kick in their own 40m zone granting the Eagles a handover. However the Eagles tried to go around on their left edge on the third play without earning the right to do so against Workington’s well organised defence. A lack of experience meant a tackle into touch and the ball handed back to Workington. Workington again progressed relatively easily deep into the Eagles half and even retrieved their own last tackle kick close to the Eagles try line close to the Eagles right corner. However in Workington’s attempt to keep the ball alive, desperate Eagles defence managed to force an error and recovery of the lost ball.
A penalty for offside and a good set got the Eagles far up field, then a high last tackle kick was knocked on by Workington inside their own 10m zone granting a scrum to the Eagles. Firstly the ball went far right but without success. On the next play Steel, playing at fullback in this match, weaved a line back towards the posts, where a subtle left foot step found a route to dive over 1m to the right of the posts in the 30th minute. Stevens converted for 6-10.
Unfortunately the elation did not last long. The kick restart was aimed at the touchline just beyond the 40m line, and not fielded which granted a handover to Workington. Wasting no time Workington again focussed pressure down their left side, which again compressed the Eagles defence. The ball was eventually shifted back to the middle where a drop off play to loose forward Ratcliffe wrong-footed the sliding defence for a try 3m to left of the posts in the 34th minute. Ivison converted for 6-16.
A short kick off forced a Workington knock-on, and then a penalty for a late tackle enabled the Eagles to exert some pressure, but it came to nought and Workington attacked the other way. On their fourth play Workington tried to shift the ball right whilst crossing the Eagles 40m line. Eagles left centre Holocuk read the play and intercepted the pass to sprint 60m the other way, just about out-pacing the chase to score under the posts. Steel converted for 12-16 and the final action of the half.
Half-time: Sheffield Eagles Women Gold 12 – 16 Workington Town Ladies
After a first half that promised a competitive second, things went awry from the off when the kick-off wasn’t caught on the full and the ball went onwards over the dead ball line. The dropout only went 25m and Workington prop Jackson immediately barnstormed it back to 5m from the Eagles line. A follow-up play came within 2m, then Jackson got another go, forcing a way over under the posts in the 42nd minute. Ivison again converted to open out the score to 12-22.
To their credit the Eagles did not give up and mounted pressure on the Workington line but a lack of on-field leadership coupled with rugby league inexperience prevented them from converting their opportunities into a try. After that the Eagles were unable to engineer an escape from their own half with Workington being awarded a scrum on the Eagles 40m line. After concentrating on the left side Workington went right on the fourth play. With a 4v3 advantage pacy fullback Rush side-stepped through the Eagles struggling defence to dive over in the 57th minute 10m to the right of the posts. Ivison’s conversion hit the posts and bounced out, score therefore 12-26.
From the restart Rush repeated the medicine but this time from much further out. Taking the ball at Workington’s 43m mark, Rush picked out two forwards who were coming forward staggered. A right foot step and fend saw off the one to the right and speed the other, then an in and out defeated a despairing fullback tackle at the Eagles 30m line, leaving a clear route to a try under the posts in the 60th minute. Ivison converted for 12-32.
The Eagles managed to resist the next Workington foray into their half and in return exert some repeated and sustained pressure for a long period in the Workington half. Yet as earlier, leadership and rugby league experience were found wanting when it came to converting the opportunities that arose into tries.
In the 76th minute Workington’s Rush found another route through a staggered defensive line, this time 25m out from their own line. Again the Eagle fullback was done by another in and out on the Workington 40m line, but nearby Eagles scrum-half Mundy was not for giving up. Mounting a head-down gritty chase, Mundy magnificently hauled down Rush 8m short of the Eagles try line. Sadly not enough of the Eagles got back in time mount a credible follow-up defence, enabling Workington stand-off Porter to take the play-the-ball and dummy a way over 2m to the right of the posts. Ivison converted again for 12-38.
At the restart Steel made a short kick-off and retrieved the ball. The Eagles mounted a sustained attack down their right side but as before couldn’t quite get things over the line. On the returning set, Workington broke through again but this time down their right edge after picking out another staggered defensive line. Fortunately fullback Steel brought the break to a halt 33m out from the Eagles line and the Eagles defended out the sixth play midfield. However on the second play Steel had the ball “helped” out in a 2 player tackle which the referee didn’t see because of a player in between in his line of sight. Workington then mounted a counter-attack in the Eagles half, forcing the Eagles defence to work hard again, but the final whistle was blown four plays later.
Full-time: Sheffield Eagles Women Gold 12 – 38 Workington Town Ladies
Eagles Tries: Steel, Holocuk
Goals: Stevens (1/1), Steel(1/1)
Workington Town Tries: Scrimgour, Bold, Ratcliffe, Jackson, Rush(2), Porter
Goals: Ivison (5/6)
In conclusion, a hard-fought game with the Eagles never giving up. Most obvious was the disparity in experience of playing rugby league. Much to learn from this outing and to work on.
The coaches’ award went to Rebecca Dex in recognition of a lot of hard work with and without the ball. The captain’s choice went to scrum-half Ella Mundy for work-rate in defence and that seemingly impossible 52m and second of two long range chase downs.
