Written : Thursday 26th Sep 24The Cranfordians made a spirited debut in their first ever league game against the experienced Didcot Valkyries on Sunday. Right from the opening whistle, Melissa Anderson set the tone for Cranfordians with an excellent drop kick, allowing the team to start the game deep in Didcot territory. The forwards held a solid defensive line early on, keeping Didcot’s advances at bay.
However, at the 23-minute mark, Didcot found a gap in the Cranfordians defence and managed to cross the line for the first try of the game. Fortunately for Cranfordians, the conversion attempt was unsuccessful, leaving the score at 0-5.
Cranfordians wasted no time responding. Five minutes later, with the team camped on Didcot’s 22-meter line, Ashley Tungate powered through the defence, scoring Cranfordians first ever league try. Melissa calmly slotted the conversion, putting Cranfordians ahead 7-5.
The momentum stayed with Cranfordians, and at 35 minutes, they extended their league. From a lineout, Joss Barrauds clean throw found Cath Day-smith, who set up another crashing run. After relentless pressure, debutant Sophie Crabtree stormed over the line for her first try, pushing the score to 12-5.
However, just before halftime, a few costly turnovers allowed Didcot to capitalise, scoring another try, this time successfully converting, the teams went into the break level at 12-12.
Half Time: Cranfordians 12 – 12 Didcot Valkyries.
The second half saw a stronger start from the Cranfordians, with some excellent ball carries gaining valuable yards. Unfortunately, due to injuries in the Didcot squad, the scrums became uncontested, which hampered Cranfordians dominance in that area.
Early in the half a ‘high tackle’ from debutant Crabbers, earned a yellow card, reducing Cranfordians to 14 players. Despite the setback, Cranfordians resilience shone through. Becca White made an electric break down the wing, only to be high tackled from Didcot which led to a red card, evening the playing field.
The Cranfordians defence was heroic throughout, with standout tackles from Laura Kilty, who bravely continued despite being winded twice, and Eloisa Hill, who consistently stifled Didcot’s backs. The game appeared to be heading towards a hard-fought draw.
With just ten minutes left, however, Didcot snuck in another try, pulling ahead 17-12. The match ended dramatically with a joint tackle by Cath and Rachel Cluskey, resulting in a head-on-head collision, marking the final whistle.
Despite the narrow defeat, the Cranfordians made a strong statement in their first league outing. They showed grit, determination and a clear intent to compete in NC3. They will undoubtedly be a team to watch as the season progresses.
Final Score: Didcot Valkyries 17 – 12 Cranfordians.
Regards,
Hannes Black