Dorking Women battle it out for a league defining win at home against Newbury 2XV.
Dorking Women 12- 10 Newbury Women
By Jess Freeman
Dorking Women had been preparing all season for what they knew to be their toughest opposition against Newbury Women’s 2XV. Newbury are fortunate enough to have a depth of squad with their first team in the Championship South 1 giving the 2XV’s plenty of training experience, but Dorking were prepared for a great home battle on The Big Field.
There was also a special surprise for the women as they took to the pitch with England’s Red Roses star winger Jess Breach, who was kindly supporting the U18’s girls cluster training group providing a rousing and motivating three Dorkings!
If there were nerves they didn’t show at kick off with Dorking standing strong in defence as Newbury made their first attack, but Dorking kept them in their own half with Rowan Shiers taking the turnover, pushing Dorking into attack with line breaks from Lynn Tickner, Jas Pitt-Payne and Leah Garel.
Newbury didn’t yield, with play switching between the teams but following the first Dorking scrum just inside the Newbury 22, the ball was shipped wide to Jemma Wood running a hard line straight over for a try. A difficult conversion attempt from near the touchline was missed, leaving the score at 5-0.
Big tackles from Kate Harvey and strong hard-fought rucking by the forwards, saw penalties going in either direction, but eventually Lucia Schifano made a break with support from Garel to take the play meters from the Newbury try line. Newbury regained the ball and chose to run but with quick movement from Tickner the ball was turned over and she drove over the line by the posts for Dorking’s second try. With an excellent conversation from Shiers the score moved to 12-0.
Newbury came back hard with excellent movement of the ball, strong runs and quick rucks. They crossed the line believing they had scored their first try but it was amazingly held up by Wood. This strength and experience of play by the visitors began to test Dorking with a stream of penalties for offside and high tackles, however, the home side gathered themselves and cleared the threat of attack from a scrum, moving the ball through support runners all the way back to the Newbury 10.
Newbury added to the pressure with some excellent line breaks, which, despite a strong defence from Dorking with yet more big tackles by Harvey, resulted in a cumulative number of penalties which saw Dorking receive a yellow card and down to 14 players. Taking a penalty scrum, Newbury made a ferocious pick and go taking the ball over the line. With the conversion missed it was 12-5 at half time.
Despite Dorking making some strategic substitutions to keep the defence as strong as possible, Newbury dominated in the second half. Dorking dug deep but fatigue against the visitor’s relentless attack was showing with the penalty count for Dorking rising and Newbury diving over the line in the corner taking the score to a very close 12-10 with the conversion just too wide.
With the second yellow of the day for Dorking, nerves were impossible to ignore as injuries elongated the second half. Through grit, determination and pure heart Dorking held out to the final whistle with the final score remaining 12-10.
It really was a win for the whole squad, coaching and management team and dedicated supporters to celebrate and with other unexpected results in the league put the control of Dorking Women winning the NC3 South East (West) very much in their own hands.
Forward of the match – Kate Harvey
Back of the match – Lucia Schifano
Player of the match – Rowan Shiers
This one will take quite a lot of recovery, but we will go again on Saturday 9th March for International Women’s Day with a home match against Didcot Ladies. VIP lunch tickets on sale now for the best view in the house to see Dorking hopefully clinch the league!
Photos by Jess Freeman and Tash Merrett
