Another Win for C&N Ladies

Crewe and Nantwich Ladies lose a dog-fight, but win a foot race in a game of two halves against an experienced and committed Longton Badgers side at Crewe Vagrants on Sunday.
Crewe and Nantwich Ladies 34 – Longton Badgers 21
Having not played together since winning away at Aston Old Eds in March, Crewe and Nantwich Ladies sent a strong message to Staffordshire teams, beating a team made up of players from a range of clubs in the region as well as some real talent within the Longton setup.
On a day perfect for running rugby, a near full-strength Crewe and Nantwich team showed how dangerous they can be with an opening score from deep inside their own half, well against the run of play after a dominant start from Longton. Although the first scrum was won against the head from a spilled kick off, Crewe failed to capitalise on it with Claire Waterhouse being caught in possession after a strong first carry into contact. The resulting penalty saw some excellent interplay by Longton forwards before a knock-on in the midfield forced by an aggressive tackle by Jennie Webb gave Crewe a chance. Hannah Templeman on at 8 after an early injury to Ellie Maskrey passed to fly-half Phoebe Jay who released her centres from deep within their own half. A sharp pass from Jennie Webb to India Perris-Redding saw the winger score her first try in a full-fixture running 80 metres to score under the posts to the delight of another big and vocal Crewe and Nantwich crowd.
The re-start was well taken by Kerry-Ann Dynan who took some stopping by Longton, but again, the opposition’s strength and technique at the breakdown told with Crewe unable to win the ruck despite some excellent wrestling from Molly Latham and Captain Helena Crook. Although Longton turned over the home team, more excellent line-speed in defence, particularly from Phoebe Jay forced a knock-on and a scrum to Crewe. The scrum was well won with Claire Waterhouse taking a crash ball into heavy traffic. Although she didn’t quite make a clean break, when she was finally stopped 15 yards behind the Longton defence, Crewe were going forward and able to quickly win possession through Laura Hollinshead and Helena Crook. Mollie Latham linked with scrum half Nikki Cole to Sam Kirk with Jennie Webb finding Tammy Murphy one on one with the Longton winger. An excellent offload found India Perris-Redding with a metre of space. This was 98 centimetres more than she needed racing over from just inside the Longton half.
With the score at 10-0 and the crowd starting to expect a big score, Longton had to quickly re-group and keep the ball in the tight. Crewe had one more statement to make beforehand with an excellent passage of play from the re-start releasing Jules Pemberton down the left wing in space. Jules made 25 yards before being tackled by the covering defence. Although well supported, Longton managed to win the ruck but excellent Crewe line speed from Jennie and Claire again forced the knock-on. Referee David Owen played advantage with EJ Macleod picking the ball up at pace, riding a tackle to score in the corner. 15-0 to Crewe with Half-time in sight. The strong home advantage gave coach Al Hargreaves the chance to introduce Mercedes Lyons to her first ever game, replacing Chelsea Hobbs at lock.
Longton were not going to let Crewe run around them all day however. With 10 minutes go before half-time, Longton drove around the corner several times before going wide, won a ruck with Crewe being penalised for coming in at the side. A quick tap penalty saw Longton drive deep in the Crewe 22. Despite some heroic tackling from Kerry-Dynan, Helena Crook and Ellie Maskrey, Longton’s excellent number 8 Lesley Keates scored under the posts. The conversion near halved the Longton deficit going into the break.
Half-time saw a couple of changes with Georgie Perris-Redding coming on for her sister and Simone Christopher replacing Claire Waterhouse in the backs. The pack also gave Chloe Watson a run out for the impressive laura Hollinshead who’s work rate in the lose made real dents in Longton’s progress throughout the 1st half.
The second half started well for Crewe with a scrum award from the kick-off. Mercedes made some vital yards, taking 2 Longton defenders to bring her down before Mollie Latham drove deep into the Longton half from a pass from Sam Kirk. Excellent quick ball and good hands in the midfield gave Georgie Perris-Redding the ball in space. If Longton hadn’t learned in the 1st half what happens when a Perris-Redding gets the ball in space, it was became patently obvious when Georgie turned on the after-burners to run in an excellent try from just outside the 22. With the score now 22 – 7, again, Longton needed to start playing the game their way, but not without conceding another score.
Becky Bravender, on for the excellent EJ MacLeod showed quickly why she’s a prime signing target for next season by being involved twice in the same passage of play from full back, cutting back inside on an excellent angle, riding a midfield tackle before giving Georgie a chance of adding her second. She made no mistake with an impressive change in pace to go around her opposite number to score an impressive try.
With the score now 27-7, it would be easy to assume the team were on for a big win, but with 30 mins left and some tiring bodies, Longton had other ideas, driving hard and running straight. Their Loosehead enjoyed a particularly destructive game in the loose demanding some excellent tackles. Simone Christopher got stuck in on her return from injury making a couple of vital hits and even turning over a Longton player in the tackle. It was particularly pleasing for the Crewe coaching team to see some very physical tackling from all of the players on the pitch- Chelsea Hobbs, usually known for destructive ball carrying made a mark on the game with several bone crunchers, one of which saw the Longton flanker requiring medical attention. Phoebe Jay also showed clearly that she’s got an appetite for the rough-stuff hitting some tackles and rucks hard and technically well. She also very nearly broke free to score against the run of play down the right flank, clattering through several desperate Longton tackles before being bundled into touch.
Crewe were soon on the receiving end of an experienced, tough and physical team showing why they are one of the best new outfits in the region. With a struggling scrum and lineout, Crewe endured a sobering 15 minutes without any ball to play with. During this period Longton managed to score from a penalty through their prop, their winger adding another 5 minutes later, with the resulting conversions from their captain dangerously narrowing the scoreline to 27- 21.
The game was changing, and still with 10 minutes left, Crewe had been drawn into an arm wrestle against a bigger, more physical opposition. A few changes to the line-up brought Georgie Perris-Redding into the centre, EJ MacLeod back to 15 and Jennie Webb to wing. The game breaking moment came moments later when Crewe won a vital turnover through Helena Crook and Laura Hollinshead. Mollie Latham took an excellent ball at pace, and with fleet-footed backs well marked outside her, took a half-gap and ran from just outside the 22 to score a wonderful try. The resulting conversion from Sam Kirk was vital in the context of the game, and although there was still time to play, Longton had nothing left in the tank. Although they remained camped in the Crewe 22, tackles flying in from all sides (Georgie Perris-Redding particularly showing she can hit hard as well as run), the final whistle brought a tense, attritional but compelling game to a close.
The 34-21 score line proved that this Crewe and Nantwich team, whilst raw and with plenty of work to do has an exciting blend of clinical finishers, aggression and physicality in their midst. What the post-match scenes further underlined was that the famous CNRUFC unity, stubbornness and will to win has been amply passed on to the ladies section.
At the launch in November 2014, we talked about building an extra turret on Fortress Vagrants. On the evidence of Sunday, and a 3 game unbeaten record to prove it, the foundations are nearly complete.