National Championship
Women’s NC3 North
Houghton RUFC 26-Percy Park RFC Panthers 0
Percy Park travelled to Houghton for their first away game of their NC3 campaign on Sunday with 5 league debutants and while they eventually ran out second they gave the experienced Houghton girls and a couple of Sunderland guests a real fright!
The pack were outstanding taking the first scrum against the head and then putting the much vaunted Houghton/Sunderland pack under intense pressure at every subsequent scrum.
Playing into a stiff breeze in the first half the Panthers turned around after the break 5 points down after a strong defensive performance against a very experienced Houghton backline.
The game then ebbed and flowed in the second half with both sides missing scoring opportunities. Houghton got into their offloading stride and despite a mighty Panthers defensive effort, with no one taking a backward step, scored two outstanding tries after multiple phases and one fantastic solo effort from their talented fullback; all three tries were converted allowing Houghton to run out 26-0 winners.
The Panthers can take great pride in this performance, with huge improvements in their defensive and attacking organisation and a scrum described by one veteran Sunderland prop as the best she'd ever played against!
The only way is up!
Representing Percy Park RFC
From 15: Vicky Moxom, Laura Timney, Caitlin Monteath-St, Lauren Jones, Rebecca Casey, Amber Cassells, Rachel White
From 8: Katie Shanley, Anna Golightly, Grace McLeod, Shona Sansom, Tina Attersal, Laura Lodge, Stephanie Gicquel and Faye Bell
Finishers: Alex Goldsborough, Katie Louise Prince, Maria Chisholm, Paige Wood, Sarah Jane Laybourne.