Sun 10 Apr 2022
The final league match of the season was played by the Ladies this weekend in front
of a bumper crowd at Polson Bridge that watched the CABETTE’s stride to a
deserved 47-0 victory over an albeit depleted Bideford squad. With the league title
still uncertain, Launceston have done all they can now to secure their league position
joint with Crediton at the top.
Bideford started well using their strong runners and powerful pack and with
Launceston trying to settle into the game, Bideford found themselves inside
Launceston’s half. But once Launceston gained control of the ball they showed what
they have been about all season. Big powerful runs straight up the guts of the
opposition followed by swift handling to their deadly backline and on the 10 minute
mark the quick footed Joanne Smith sprinted her way up the right hand side before
cutting back in to score. Conversion missed.
The next 10 minutes saw a battle of the forwards as they went toe to toe with each
other, some monster hits being put in by both sets of players with a number needing
a minute to regather themselves. Unfortunately one such hit resulted in flanker April
Dawe having to leave the field and off to hospital. With a little more arm wrestling,
Launceston made their way up the field and more hard running saw Kim Upcott
power over the line. Conversion missed.
The final score of the half saw the backs of the match combine as newcomer Emily
Kneale found herself in some space on a counter attack, barreling over the fullback
and a deft set of hands to offload to Joey Sandercock who went in under the posts.
Holly Williams dutifully knocked the only conversion of the match over.
Half Time - 17-0
In the second half Launceston turned on the style, the power and ultimately the
scoreline as Bideford seemed to run out of puff and Launceston found their
formidable form. It took just 4 minutes for the ubiquitous Kim Upcott to cross the
whitewash for her second and then provide the assist for Joey’s second with some
barnstorming running that left Bideford players scattered in her wake.
With the forwards making hard yards everywhere the backs clearly wanted to get in
on the action. The forwards set up camp in the Bideford 22, sucking in defensive
players to cope with the strong pack, they switched it up and sent the ball wide to
centre Emily Kneale to show and go and make her way over the line.
Scorer turned provider for the next try as Emily makes another break and finds
Abigail Matthews on her shoulder and with a quick shimmie makes her way around
the winger to score her first league try in the corner.
With the Bideford team tiring the holes began to open for Launceston’s nippy back
line and Joanne Smith made the most of that with a superb individual effort.
Collecting the ball inside her own half and showing some serious pace, scythed
untouched through the heart of the Bideford team and scorched her way under the
posts.
The icing on the cake saw Joey Sandercock, who hadn’t scored a league try all
season, find herself on the end of a well worked set of phases for Launceston and
score her deserved hattrick try.
The full time score, 47-0
This was Launceston’s first league campaign, finishing joint top with well established
Crediton, playing 10 games and winning 9 of them the ladies have more than held
their own, they have taken this challenge on and risen to the occasion as a team.
The girls have one final friendly against Truro on the 24th April. Come down and
cheer on these amazing ladies one last time for the year.
Forward of the Match - Kim Upcott
Back of the Match - Emily Kneale & Joey Sandercock
Report by Dan Pearce
