Salford RLFC Ladies 16 Bradford 12 Match report

 

SALFORD NOTCH THEIR FIRST VICTORY OF SEASON

A most outrageous ‘snatch and grab’ of the ball, by long-serving centre three-quarter
- operating on this occasion at loose forward - Alex Simpson, seven minutes from
time, sealed Salford Ladies’ whole team’s ‘snatch and grab’ of the spoils, in last
Sunday’s match against Bradford, thereby registering their first victory of the season,
and also their first with the almost entirely new squad, which had been assembled
very late on in the close season.

In what must have been one of her most significant contributions in her time with the
team, Simpson, one of only two players now who were in the original squad which
launched Salford’s first season, spotted her opportunity to steal the ball from an
opponent, and, with the try line at her mercy, raced the twelve metres to ground it
near the corner and put them in the lead for the first time, in what was their first
home game of the year.

Twice, Bradford had led, and twice, Salford replied with tries of their own to remain in
touch with their opponents, albeit two points in arrears, after the second of these.
And what was the significant aspect of their game which had kept them in contention
throughout? Why, nothing other than their magnificent defence; the sort of defence
that wins games.

Having been on the receiving end of some quite large scores, in some of the earlier
matches of the season, it was most surprising, and extremely pleasing, to witness
such an impressive improvement in such an important element of the game.

The squad had recently been bolstered by the acquisition of a number of more
experienced players on dual registration from other clubs - most notably Wigan –
which also included the return of fans’ favourite from last season, hooker Holly
Waddington, now with Featherstone. This was most timely, coming as it did with the
lengthy absence, through injury, of captain and hooker, Taz Corcoran – the second of
the two players still playing for Salford from that very first season.

The organisation of a team’s defence is one of the most challenging and lengthy
operations facing them. High praise indeed, therefore, must be attributed to coach,
Kirsty Crehan, for having succeeded in accomplishing such advancement in so short
a time, especially when some of the new players have not been able to train with the
squad, owing to their training commitments at other clubs.

Not only was there greater understanding of structures on defence, there also
seemed a much greater appetite to be involved in the tackles with there being no
shortage of numbers piling in to halt the progress of any would-be break through the
line. This was exemplified, as early as the eighth minute, when a three to one
overlap on the left flank was thwarted by an incredible crash tackle on the winger,
centimetres from the line, by fullback, Anna Dennis.

 Not only did this prevent a near certain try, it also served as inspiration to the rest of the side to continue their own determined efforts to hold their line intact, which they did so magnificently
throughout. Indeed, Dennis went on to repeat the feat four minutes from the interval
with another try saver, and then on sixty minutes hit a Bradford player with such
bone-shaking force that the ball was propelled completely from her grasp and on, for
the Salford line to regain possession. All of these were examples of the committed
efforts put in throughout the team for the whole eighty minutes.

It was fourteen minutes into the game before Salford succeeded in setting up an
attack on the visitors’ line, as their ball-handling skills were somewhat below those of
their defence, and mistimed, and ill-placed, passes were fumbled – some on the first
tackle – meaning that they had spent most of the first quarter penned down near
their own line. This first attack, however, came very close to bringing their first try,
with that bravest of souls, Chloe Lyons, being denied the grounding in the right
corner, by a last-ditch tackle.

As often happens, when a team has been prevented from scoring at one end, the
opposition, buoyed by their defensive success, then succeed in setting up a counter-
attack to score at the opposite end, which is just what happened, in this case, with a
highly impressive individual, converted, try over ninety metres, putting the Bulls in
front.

Things were evened up very quickly, however, with a Bradford error, direct from the
kick-off, gifting the home side position and possession, which, this time, turned into
points, thanks to a charge at and over the line by prop, Dearbhla McCoy, and
converted from in front of the posts by Dennis, to level the score.

Still secure in their domination of possession and field position, the visitors were able
to set up another converted try between the posts, on 32 mins, to take their 6-12
lead into halftime.

If Salford were to get back on equal footing, or even win, they clearly had to improve
their handling, and this, they gradually did. They were aided by the return to the fray
of stand-off Lily Oakley for the start of the second half. Oakley had been injured in
one of the earliest tackles of the game, and had had to leave the field, but now she
returned to add that little bit of structure and composure to the attack, which had
been missing, and slowly the momentum started to swing towards Salford, as
completion rates rose.

In fact, it was their first period of sustained pressure, which, on 51 mins, brought their
next try, after a couple of back-to-back sets, with the side to side handling eventually
opening up a gap for Dennis to slip through for the first score of the half.

Despite still being behind on the scoreboard, Salford began to dominate more and
more, with it now being the visitors being penned near their line, and their next small
win was to force a goal-line drop-out from an end-of-set kick, on 67 minutes. The big
win, however, came six minutes later when a high bomb was taken well by the Bulls’
right winger, only for her to find that she was running forward without the ball as
Simpson touched down in the corner. Dennis duly enhanced the celebrations with
an immaculate goal kick from the touchline.

 There was no way that they were going to let the Bulls out of their half thereafter, courtesy ball retention, and that superb defence to which every single one of them had contributed.

SALFORD

Anna Dennis, Chloe Lyons, Lucy Grantham, Mia Regan, Eva Thomas, Lily Oakley,
Gracie Barrett, Dearbhla McCoy, Holly Waddington, Lydia Elstone, Katrina
Blencowe, Tsz Ying, Alex Simpson

Interchanges:
Hope Throw, Katie Roach, Isabella Woods, Jodie Morris

Match Report by David Clegg
Pictures by Steve Mccormick