Hitchin travelled to Fakenham on Sunday in high spirits and with reasonable expectations of a win. After taking a walkover from Fakenham due to their lack of numbers, Hitchin were ready to prove that it was about time they got a win and all for the right reasons!
After an aggressive start to the first half, Hitchin exerted pressure at the beginning of the match which proved fatal for the opposition. The uncontested scrums saw a secure delivery to the backs with great looping play and superb speed shown from both wingers. Jade Cooper received the ball from a quick penalty taken by Sprout which set up the first of many tries and saw her make a blinding run past 3 defenders to score down the wing.
Forward Smokey found herself regularly supporting the wings to create a force to be reckoned with for the opposition wingers, rightly earning herself forward of the match. The opposition kept on fighting and by putting Hitchin under pressure it made them throw away the ball from silly mistakes and with this Fakenham scored their first converted try. But, Hitchin soon came back fighting with Jade Cooper quickly breaking through their defence for the second time and scoring again under the posts.
The second half proved more challenging and showed relentless rucking by the forwards and many stolen balls in the mauls. Alex Rowles made her Hitchin come back by scoring her first try of the season from another breakdown.
Captain Jan adapted naturally as she moved from full back to forward throughout the game and was often found at the bottom of held up tries. With Naomi Roycroft leading the back line, Hitchin were able to keep Fakenham on the back foot for most of the second half. With great passing shown from the backs down the hands to winger Natalie Mellowship, Hitchin scored their fourth, well deserved try of the game which she followed with a successful conversion.
Hitchin became a little complacent and after finding gaps in the defence they soon saw that Fakenham were points hungry and with this, scored their second converted try of the match. However, this didn’t stop back Claire Grimshaw who after not being held down in a tackle, got up and made a lightning run to score for Hiitchin under the posts. With an easy conversion, this took Hitchin steaming ahead in the lead.
In the last few minutes of the game, on loan Hitchin player Rebekah Nolan smashed through a tired Hitchin defence to score the last of threes converted tries for Fakenham bringing the game to an end.
Team
Jan Haines (C), Lucinda King, Lucy Kennedy, Natalie Mellowship, Lucy Ward, Jade Cooper, Alex Rowles, Claire Grimshaw, Naomi Roycroft, Emma Pooley, Jilly Arnold, Joanna Croft, Kassilyn Carry, Rebekah Nolan, Helen Whitton, Emily Pooley
Tries
Jade Cooper (x2), Alex Rowles, Natalie Mellowship, Claire Grimshaw
Conversions
Natalie Mellowship (x2)
Back of the Match
Naomi Roycroft
Forward of the Match
Emma Pooley