Harrogate Ladies show off a successful scoreline against Southport

Visiting Southport proved tough competition and held Harrogate well at bay for the first 10 minutes of the game. The visiting forwards crashed the ball through the Harrogate line fast and shipped the ball down the line swiftly.

However, after a Harrogate knock on, the ball was turned in the scrum. Scrum half Rose Jay picked up quickly and cut through a gap in the line. After dancing round the oncoming defence, Jay shipped the ball to the left wing where Simone Christopher battled through a tackle on the line and touched down.

A second try was soon to follow after a strong Harrogate scrum on Southport’s 5 metre line, Number 8 Anna Hamilton picked up off the back of the scrum and dived over the line to make it 10-0.

The home side were on a role even though the visiting defence were putting them through their paces. The third score showcased Harrogate’s teamwork. The forwards played the phases and the ball made its way from fly half Kelly Morgan through the centre and finally to full back Lauren Bolger who crossed the whitewash.

Harrogate soon succeeded a number of penalties within their own half. Though the home side managed to turn the ball over within their own 22. It was passed to Bolger at the back who made a crossfield kick followed by a chase.

Winger, Rachel Demoraes pipped the Southport defence to the post and Bolger followed, diving onto the ball. She popped it up to Jay who sprinted the remaining 40 metres to score, Bolger booted over the extras to bring the score to 22-0.

Harrogate added another after a driving maul and quick pick up from Jay who danced around the defence to score under the sticks, another conversion from Bolger made it 29-0.

Next prop Grace Keyes ripped the ball away from the opposition in a maul and passed it quickly out to the wing, Bolger then sprinted down the openside to score under the sticks and then managed to add an extra 2 points.

With half time iminent, centre Nieve Jones crashed her way through the defence and up the pitch. However, play was called due to a Southport injury and necessary medical attention was given.

The second half began after a pitch change but Harrogate were back on the front foot immediately as Freya Wilde finished off a team try by touching down two minutes in.

Shortly after, Evie Jackson scored on the right after receiving the ball and sprinting from half way.
Harrogate weren’t taking their foot off the gas there though, youngster Achele Agada hit the defensive line with power and pace, broke through and scored her first of the match. Wilde kicked over the extra two points to round it up to 55-0.

Though the visiting team were piling on the pressure, Harrogate received a penalty and with their forward pods in position pushed through to score again. Keyes popped the ball off to Hamilton after drawing in the defence. Then the Number 8 sprinted through with ease to score her second and Wilde converted.

In the closing minutes of the game the home team ensured 3 more tries made it over the whitewash. In one of which Christopher caught a low ball perfectly after Jay offloaded in contact to run around the last line of defence.

The final score was 79-0 to Lucy Barnett’s outfit.