Photo: Andy Baldwin
By Tom Branston
Worcester Valkyries missed out on the chance to make it four successive Women’s Premiership wins as Lichfield Ladies claimed a 34-12 victory at Sixways on Saturday.
Valkyries led 12-10 at the break courtesy of tries for Alexia Mavroudis and Ceri Large with Rachel Squires and Emily Braund going over for the visitors.
But a clinical second-half from Lichfield saw Amy Cokayne, Natasha Hunt, Holly Aitcheson and Charlotte Pearce cross the whitewash to secure a bonus-point win.
Valkyries began the game on the front foot and scored the opening try within the first four minutes.
Mavroudis benefited from a quickly-recycled ball which was shipped out wide from Rhi Parker and the pacey winger was able to cross in the corner.
Valkyries controlled the opening stages with Zoe Bennion impressing with her physicality and intensity.
But Lichfield replied with a try of their own as Squires dived over to level the scores.
However, two minutes later, Rachel Lund supplied Large as she stretched over the line under the posts with two defenders hanging from her, before stepping up to land the conversion.
Lichfield dominated possession and territory in the latter stages of the half and capitalised with Braund crashing over to bring the visitors within two points.
Worcester led 12-10 at the interval but Lichfield came out of the blocks in the second period and scored almost instantly as Laura Hind found Cokayne to score in the corner.
Hunt then stepped defenders to score under the posts and Aitcheson converted as Lichfield enjoyed a ten-point cushion.
Aitcheson soon added a brilliant solo try after receiving the ball on the Valkyries ten-metre line, as she raced over the whitewash before adding the extras.
Lichfield had time to add a fourth second-half try to finish off the contest as pacey full-back Pearce spotted a gap and charged in to score.
Valkyries never gave up but couldn’t capitalise on chances made as second-placed Lichfield extended the points gap between the two sides in the Women’s Premiership table.
Valkyries are next in action at Waterloo Ladies in the Senior Cup on Sunday 6 November (kick-off 2pm).
Timeline
04m | Mavroudis try 5-0
14m | Squires try 5-5
17m | Large try 10-5
18m | Large con 12-5
39m | Braund try 12-10
41m | Cokayne try 12-15
45m | Hunt try 12-20
45m | Aitcheson con 12-22
57m | Aitcheson try 12-27
58m | Aitcheson con 12-29
74m | Pearce try 12-34
Valkyries | 15 Rhi Parker, 14 Alexia Mavroudis (Cowell 43), 13 Zoe Bennion, 12 Rachel Lund, 11 Sam Bree (S Parker 73), 10 Ceri Large, 9 Bianca Blackburn, 8 Lisa Campbell (C) (Wigley 70), 7 Helena Bunce (Snead 48), 6 Courtney Gill, 5 Stacey Hiscox, 4 Rosie Haigh (Richards 73), 3 Laura Keates (Binks 57), 2 Lark Davies, 1 Rochelle Clark
Replacements | 16 Paula Robinson, 17 Elizabeth Binks, 18 Amy Wigley, 19 Heather Cowell, 20 Chelsea Snead, 21 Sam Parker, 22 Jo Richards
