DMP Sharks made the long journey down to Weston’s to face Worcester in the RFU Senior Cup on Sunday 13th March 2016.
At 2pm Worcester got the game underway the ball was caught by Sharks Sam Jamieson who ran it back at pace straight at the Worcester defence which set the tone for what would be a very entertaining game.
The first 10 minutes proved to be an even affair with both teams showing attacking intent the highlight being Sharks no 8 Jo Brown who quick tapped a penalty on Sharks 5 metre line and showed blistering pace and power to get over the half way line before she was tackled.
With 25 mins gone and the game at a stalemate, Brown picked up from the base of a scrum making great ground before passing out to Captain Georgina Roberts who powered through the Worcester defence only to be stopped 5 metres short of the try line. A pick and go from Sarah Bush saw Sharks edge ever closer; a loose pass was seized on by loose head prop Heather Kerr who showed great pace and power to break through the covering tackles and score over on the right hand side of the posts (not converted) leaving the score Worcester 0 DMP Sharks 5.
Worcester responded well to the score and put Sharks under a period of sustained pressure, but Sharks defence held firm. On 31 minutes Sharks Fly Half Rebecca Scholes kicked out from the 22, a great chase by full back Emma Harbage put pressure on, the ruck resulting in the ball popping out Sharks Scrum Half. Pitcher dived on the ball securing possession and quick ball out to Rachel Woosey who turned on the afterburners and, from the half way line, scored a fantastic try out on the right hand side (converted) leaving the score Worcester 0 DMP Sharks 12.
Sharks were now playing with great confidence increasing the pressure on Worcester, the dominance paid off in the 38th minute when Sharks scored again. A quick tap from scrum half Pitcher out to Roberts saw her power through the Worcester defence. Quick service again from Pitcher out to her half back partner Scholes saw a fantastic flat pass out to Phillipa Rawbone who ran an equally fantastic line to arrow through the Worcester defence and score to the left hand side of the posts (not converted) leaving the score at half time Worcester 0 DMP Sharks 17.
Sharks got the second half under way, which began as the first with both teams working hard in defence to find an opening. On 49 mins Sharks were awarded a scrum just outside their 22. Sharks replacement no 8 Zoe Aldecroft picked up from the back of the scrum and showed a great turn of pace and power to slice through the Worcester defence to score to the right hand side of the post (not converted) leaving the score Worcester 0 DMP Sharks 22.
Worcester continued to work hard to find a way through Sharks well organised defence and on 60 minutes substitute Megan Goddard made a break, delayed her pass out to Rachel Lund who raced through to score under the post (converted) for the final score of the game leaving the result Worcester 7 DMP Sharks 22.
This was a fitting performance to mark the last game for Coach Simon Culley who is leaving Sharks to take up a coaching position in Canada, DMP Sharks thank him for his efforts and wish him well for the future.
Report courtesy of DMP Sharks
