Match Report
Camberley Women 0 - 42 Dorking Women
After a torrential downpour for the warm up, Dorking Women took to the pitch to start in their first league match in over twenty years - some say it was perfect weather for rugby!
Having to adjust down to 14 players to match the opposition, Dorking took an early try from Rachel Higgins after excellent phase play leading to a quick line break to get the ball down right under the posts for a simple conversion by Stevie Cook.
Camberley responded with good ball in hand but without making much ground until their first, of only a handful, of breaks into the Dorking half. Excellent defensive work quickly turned the ball over with Imogen Triggs placement kick providing a rapid kick chase by Jemma Wood taking it back into the Camberley 22.
After a significant injury for Camberley, play resumed with 13 team members. Showing their skill and strength in the scrum Camberley were holding Dorking in the set piece, however Higgins pulled off an athletic interception for try number two under the posts, again converted by Cook.
With five minutes to go in the first half Dorking, after a slower period of play, increased the defensive pressure with an intensive tackle rate from Lauren Parsons and an excellent defensive lineout steal from Nim Brown leading to a pass out wide for Wood to score her first try of the day, converted yet again by Cook with a score of 0-21 going into half time.
Starting the second half back to 14 players, Higgins took an exemplary high ball, setting off at full pace leaving the opposition stunned dotting down their third try of the day again squarely under the posts with Cook matching their confident first half kicking performance with the conversion.
Camberely were unable to respond and after an intense rucking battle sadly Camberley sustained a further injury taking the match back to 13 players with an adapted seven person scrum. Dorking didn't ease up the pressure with yet another superb strip from Higging's to run in their fourth try from the halfway line and another excellent conversion by Cook.
Sadly Camberely suffered further injury taking it down to 12 players leading to uncontested scrums and the opportunity for Dorking to bring on fresh legs from their impact players who immediately passed the ball through the hands out wide hitting Wood at pace on the wing running the ball in under the posts for their second try of the match. Just to increase their points for the day, Higging's made the successful conversion.
With Camberely having to go to 11 players, the referee had no option but to declare the match to Dorking for safety reasons at a resounding 0-42. Thank you to Camberley for being such excellent hosts for the first league match of the season - we hope your players recover quickly.
A spectacular performance from all the players today and a fantastic result with no better way to introduce ourselves to the league.
Forward of the Match - Lauren Parsons
Back of the Match - Stevie Cook
Player of Match - Rachel Higgins
Forward of the match - Lauren Parsons
Back of the match - Stevie Cook
Player of the match - Rachel Higgins
Next Up:
First home match of the season this Sunday, 24th September against Basingstoke, 3pm at the Big Field - we go again!
