Rugby Union: Littleborough Ladies 7 - 29 Coventry Welsh

Littleborough Ladies

Two tries from Alice Stutins put Coventry Welsh in dream land as they secured a plate final with victory over Littleborough ladies.

Despite taking the lead Littleborough in the first half, the home side were eventually outgunned by a strong Coventry Welsh side to cruelly miss out on a chance of silverware in their first competitive season.

Coventry, who like Littleborough are in the early years of inception, could and should have taken the early lead as outside centre Stutins missed a routine penalty.

Boro's ladies were more than a match for their opponents, gaining a significant amount of turnover and ball from the set piece and eventually that pressure told.

Littleborough made the breakthrough with a fantastic run by Clair Sutcliffe. The full back darted down the right hand touchline past a number of littered Welsh defenders to dot down behind the sticks. Clair precisely finished off her hard work with a successful conversion to boot.

Coventry responded almost immediately with a strong outside dash through the open space by Stutins, who would gone on to convert her own score and level the tie once more.

Both teams had opportunities to put further points on the board but at the half way stage the score would remain at seven each.

Right after the break, Coventry stepped up the gears and took the lead with two quick tries. First  Krista Timckuca crashed over from close range in the right corner before centre Stutins got her double with a monstrous counter attacking run down the same side. It was harsh on home side who were close to scoring just moments before. 

With the game still within reach for Boro's pink warriors, they gave it all they had with some big carries from the likes of Sam Plant, Holly Coburn and Keeley Mosoph. Unfortunately for the vocal home support they couldn't quite manage to find a way through.  

Clinical Coventry would add more salt to the wound as they inflicted another two tries on their opponents in the closing stages. Julie Kilburn made the most of a tired defence to squeeze over from a quick tap penalty while forward Michaela Loftus added the finishing touches to a textbook set of rugby phase play. 

A number of strong carriers put Boro under the cosh and tied them into the ruck. Welsh then shipped out the ball to the second row in midfield to crash through under the posts.

The visitors were worthy winners in the end and are now rewarded with a final against Seaford RFC while Littleborough can hold their heads up high for a performance that had huge positives in the set piece, with their offload game and most definitely at the breakdown.