Women’s Challenge Cup Final – Leigh Miners Rangers vs Thatto Heath St Helens
(Photo: Ainsley Bennett)
On Sunday in the Women’s Challenge Cup Final Leigh Miners Rangers faced Thatto Heath St Helens. Thatto Heath started the game on a high, their reserve team having just taken the Shield competition against Whitley Bay Barbarians and, full of confidence, they came out of the blocks firing on all cylinders. Inside the first minute Roxy Mura found herself with the ball in space and sprinted over to score the first try of the match 0-4.
Thatto Heath continued to attack Katie May Williams made good ground before the ball was spun wide to Tara Stanley who touched down in the corner, she also added the conversion from the touch line 0-10.
Jenny Welsby was the next try scorer for Thatto, she coasted through a gap in the midfield and scored under the posts 0-16.
(Photo: Ainsley Bennett)
On the twenty-minute mark Tara Stanley crossed for her second try, almost identical to her first the ball was shipped wide and Stanley dotted down in the corner and added the conversion from the touchline 0-22.
Jodie Cunningham scored the fifth try for Thatto Heath on the half hour mark, she side stepped her way around the Leigh Miners defenders from five metres out to score 0-28.
Minutes later Thatto looked certain to have scored again but outstanding scramble defence from Leigh Miners stopped what had seemed a certain try, and the ball was lost just metres from the try line.
Photo: Ainsley Bennett
This was followed immediately with a breath taking try, from behind her own try line Leigh Miners Georgia Sutherland spotted a gap, she coasted through and outsprinted the chasing defenders to score an outstanding length of the field try. Emily Mullen added the conversion 6-28.
Thatto hit back shortly afterwards, the ball was spun out wide and Sammie Simpson stretched out to score 6-32.
Leigh Miners finished the first half strongly, dominating possession and territory but the Thatto Heath defence held firm.
Half time Leigh Miners Rangers 6 Thatto Heath St Helens 32.
(Photo: Ainsley Bennett)
Into the second half Thatto Heath started brightly, they enjoyed a strong spell of possession which eventually saw Emily Rudge dive over for a try from close range 6-36.
From the restart Rudge was over for her second, she burst through the mid-field and had the pace to get away from the covering defence to score her second try in as many minutes, Tara Stanley added the conversion 6-42.
With sixty minutes gone Thatto Heath’s Tara Stanley crossed for a hat-rick a powerful hand off saw off a Leigh Miners defender and Stanley sprinted over the line, she also added the conversion 6-48.
The next try for Thatto Heath was a second for Sammie Simpson who finished off a well worked move to score in the corner 6-52.
Photo: Ainsley Bennett)
A second try for Jodie Cunningham came on the seventy-minute mark as she exploited some space out-wide and stretched out to score 6-56.
Tara Stanley continued to add to her already impressive points tally with a fourth try on 73 minutes which she also converted 6-62.
Leigh Miners battled their way upfield in the final few minutes of the match, dominating the possession and territory in the hunt for a try however the Thatto defence proved impossible to breach.
All credit to Leigh Miners who battled right through to the end. A superb performance from Thatto Heath St Helens, they dominated throughout and deservedly lifted the 2016 Women’s Challenge Cup Trophy.
Final score Leigh Miners Rangers 6 Thatto Heath St Helens 62.
Teams:
Leigh Miners Rangers
- Rhianne Boag
- Naiomh Gill-Ward
- Georgia Sutherland
- Sarina Tamou
- Grace Morley
- Emily Mullen
- Keli Morris
- Megan Eastwood
- Rachel Ogden
- Nicolette Postlewaite
- Celia Farrimond
- Laura Bent
- Mairead Quinn
Substitutions
- Emma Beaton
- Chloe Jolley
- Devon Rigby
- Clare Thompson
- Kerrie Hatton
- Rebecca Wilkinson
Tries
Georgia Sutherland
Conversions
Emily Mullen
Penalties
Thatto Heath St Helens
- Jodie Cunningham
- Tara Stanley
- Katie May Williams
- Rachel Thompson
- Sammie Simpson
- Jenny Welsby
- Faye Gaskin
- Lizzie Gladman
- Tara Jones
- Chloe Hammond
- Roxy Mura
- Chantelle Crowl
- Emily Rudge
Substitutions
- Dawn Taylor
- Rebecca Rotheram
- Jade Ward
- Kath Organ
- Millie Cadman
- Naomi Williams
Tries
Roxy Mura
Tara Stanley (4)
Jenny Welsby
Jodie Cunningham (2)
Sammie Simpson (2)
Emily Rudge (2)
Conversions
Tara Stanley (7)
Penalties
Half time score
Leigh Miners Rangers 6 Thatto Heath St Helens 32
Final score
Leigh Miners Rangers 6 Thatto Heath St Helens 62
Referee
Neil Pascall
Player of the match
Tara Stanley – Thatto Heath St Helens
Report By Rebecca Bird
