League cup semi final match report Salford Ladies v Dewsbury moor
Salford Red Devils ladies are celebrating as they are through to the League Cup final after beating Dewsbury Moor at a sun-drenched Salford City Roosters stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Chris Bates gave fullback Luci Mckeown and 2nd row forward Vicki Kini late fitness tests which both passed to allow them to take part in this historic fixture. Megan Condliffe continued at loose forward and Helena Walker, Casey Naylor and Brogan Evans started on the bench.
It was Dewsbury Moor who started the brightest, a couple of incomplete sets by Salford provided them with the territory to spring a early attack, the ball was moved wide Salford's defence was stretched scrum half Millie Taylor was in support to crash over to give Moor a early lead. Conversion was missed and Salford trailed 0-4 with 3 minutes gone.
After going behind the ladies remained focused and started to find their rhythm, With Darcy Price and Casey Naylor punching holes in the Dewsbury defence Salford had a platform to build from with both Demi Jones and Captain Louise Fellingham probing for a opening.
With the sun beating down and Salford's intensity going up it took 20 minutes to find a opening, Hooker Taz Corcoran who was superb all afternoon with a mixture rampaging running and solid defence broke free with a dummy half run and found centre Steph Gray with a long but fizzed pass, this caught the Dewsbury defence out and Gray showed why she is recognised as one of most dangerous centres in the Championship got on the outside of her opposite centre Catlin Johnson to streak away and level up the scores. Demi Jones converted and Salford lead 6-4.
Salford were showing signs of growing confidence in the July sunshine and were soon celebrating another score.
Salford had a scrum 10 metres from their own line, from 1st reciever Luci Mckeown teased the backpeddling Dewsbury defence before sending Alex Simpson on a run, Alex showed all the class she has being a Great Britain Teachers Centre. At speed she rode one attempted tackle and raced fully 80 metres, beating the cover and the fullback to score a memorable try.
Scrum half Demi Jones nonchalantly kicked the goal from the touchline.
Dewsbury had Alice Iwanejko sent to the sin for a high tackle on a increasingly dangerous Corcoran but despite the numerical disadvantage it was Moor who had a late onslaught attacking the Salford right edge with heroics in defence by Lauren Ellison stopping a couple of certain tries on one leg at one point.
Salford Red Devils ladies had one foot in the final at half time leading 12-4.
The 2nd half started with a bang and a try which proved to be crucial in the outcome of this semi final.
A long kick by Dewsbury Moor had Salford back peddling Louise Fellingham picked up the ball in the shadow of her own posts and fed Fullback Luci Mckeown, in broken field Mckeown is devastating and it proved again in this moment as she turned on the afterburners bamboozled the Dewsbury defence to race under the posts from 80m. Demi Jones converted and Salford lead 18-4 with 35 minutes to go.
For the next 20 minutes 2nd half became a war of attrition with both teams baking under the sun, The Salford forwards, Helena Walker and Brogan Evans ran their blood to water both in attack and defence and the reward of reaching their 1st Cup final in a Salford Shirt wasn't too far away.
In the closing stages Salford and Dewsbury had chances, a flying tackle from fullback Mckeown on rampaging Dewsbury 2nd row Maddison Rainey allowed the Salford faithful a sigh of relief on the side-lines and after trademark runs by Megan Condliffe and Yasmin Parton Sotomayor built a platform for Louise Felligham to kick though for Demi Jones to almost score. Salford were nearly there.
Dewsbury scored on the hooter with Courtney Mash eventually breaking the hard working but exhausted Salford defence but it didn't matter as the result had gone Salfords way. There were tears, there was dancing and joyous celebration both on and off the field. This team which is full of character, attack flair mixed with positive vibes and work rate had won its way though to the league cup final.
A team that has was only created in November, organised by really good people with hearts and minds in the right place, as a group with the LDRL and the PDRL teams they has changed the face of Salford Red Devils rugby league football club forever, I really hope this fairytale which the girls have lived in has the appropriate ending both in league and cup competitions. They have won the hearts and minds of the Salford faithful with their “play what you see” attitude, even under pressure in the semi final they refused to play it safe and resort to negative one up rugby league. It was a joy to watch a Salford team in a big game trying to kill the opponents off with organised but creative rugby rather than hanging on.
With some double headers planned for the rest of the season fans who might have not seen the ladies play will soon have that opportunity starting Sunday against Hull KR at the AJ Bell.
The final is in Orrell St James in two weeks when they face Orrell St James, it will be tough but these girls have that bit of magic mixed in with hard work and determination you wouldn’t bet against them landing their 1st trophy on the 31st July.
Full time
Salford 18 Dewsbury Moor 8
Report by Rob Parkinson
Pictures by Marissa Chaplin
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