Our women’s team ended the season with a tremendous hard fought victory in appalling conditions at Wilmere Lane.
The first half saw them playing against a howling gale and driving rain and Miners took advantage of the conditions by pinning Widnes in their own half. The strength of the wind became apparent when a Charlie Magraw kick went behind her and only great defence kept the visitors at bay.
Eventually the pressure told when Miners moved the ball left, where full back Gabrielle Leigh joined the line to dive over in the corner.
Widnes responded immediately and thought they’d scored but an Olivia Barnard effort was ruled out.
Nicholette Postlethwaite continually drove the Vikings forward but the conditions were taking their toll and handling errors prevented both sides from applying any consistent pressure to their opponents line.
Widnes had the best chance to score when Magraw and Rachael Porter created a gap but the final pass to Jane Bazley-Harrison went to ground and Miners went into the break with a narrow four point lead.
HALF-TIME: Widnes Vikings 0-4 Leigh Miners Rangers
With the second half conditions in their favour Widnes began to make inroads into the opposition half.
However a combination of their own mistakes, and a Miners side whose tackling was exceptional, kept them scoreless.
Jazz Mason went close but her offload just five metres out saw another chance frittered away but with 15 minutes left the all important score came along.
Having regained possession 35 metres from the try line, a kick on the last tackle saw Miners knock on and from the resulting scrum they moved the ball left and Jane Bazley-Harrison cut inside to go over for her third try of the season.
Conditions were not ideal for goal kicking but Charlie Magraw took her time and a magnificent strike saw the ball sail between the posts to give her side the lead.
The remainder of the match was a nail biting affair as both sides knew that another try would probably seal the game. Miners looked to have broken through with five minutes left but a great Magraw tackle stopped their momentum.
Porter was brought down just a few metres from the line but it didn’t matter as the referee blew the final whistle to great scenes of delight from the Widnes team and supporters.
There were excellent performances from Taz Corcoran, who was chosen as player of the game by Miners, Meg Jackson, Abbie Latchford and Nicholette Postlethwaite but in truth this was a team effort which ensured the season ended on a high.
FULL-TIME: Widnes Vikings 6-4 Leigh Miners Rangers
Widnes Vikings: Sarah Bazley-Harrison, Jane Bazley-Harrison, Rachael Porter, Hannah Quirk, Olivia Barnard, Charlie Magraw, Meg Jackson, Jazz Mason, Taz Corcoran, Nicholette Postlethwaite, Emma Dobson, Amy Bennett, Abby Latchford. SUBS: Jena Monks, Abbie Flanagan, Emily Grundy, Wendy Johnson, Catherine Bazley-Harrison, Hannah Cleaver, Casey Naylor.
Tries: J Bazley-Harrison. Goals: Magraw 1/1
Leigh Miners Rangers: Gabrielle Leigh, Adele Newton, Kelly Gray, Grace Morley, Robyn Bell-Soppels, Rachael Ogden, Mairead Quinn, Charlotte Butler, Genna Banks, Celia Farrimond, Victoria Rosevere, Anna Croft, Danielle Molyneux. SUBS: Hollie Gregory, Louise Hancock, Kerrie Hatton, Hannah Walton, Stacey Wright, Aaliyah Blydgen, Mollie Young.
Tries: Leigh Goals: Farrimond 0/1
HT 0-4 FT 6-4 Pens 8-7
