A first league win for the Cats on a sunny autumn afternoon at Sharpham Road had to be worked for in a game played with reduced numbers due to player availability to the hosts. The Cats squad of 18 was rotated during the game and debutants. Amy Everett and Emily Taylor played their part. Taylor particularly slotted into the front row and is a great prospect.
Cheddar scored first after a breakaway from half way, both sides struggled to put any width on the ball and there were a number of early handling errors.
Somerset Society Referee Andrew Mckeown used advantage to good effect to keep the game flowing and helped create a game to the benefit of both of these inexperienced sides. The Cats were unusually quiet throughout and were slow out of the blocks having arrived late and with a limited warmup. Centre Rachael Lyons settled some early nerves with a solo effort under the posts with Daisy Pearce-Lyons converting to nose the visitors in front Cheddar scored under the posts when another lapse of concentration left a gap and a try under the posts.
Rhianna Williams added the first of a brace of tries to leave the sides level at half time after the Cats managed to string a series of rucks together. The half time chat delivered some improvement in looking after the ball, and when the forwards got to the breakdown before Williams or Sam Badger, alternating at 9, the backs got some useful ball with Daisy Pearce Lyons adding a try. Nancy Portsmouth was always a threat running in broken play and her try gave the Cats a lead they would not relinquish.
Sarah Blyth dominated the lineout and a ball off the front to Williams sniping up the touch line caught the defence cold and the Cats scoring was rounded off by Pearce-Lyons with her second try to go with her total of 3 conversions.
The need to react quickly and wretreat while maintain a defensive line when conceding a penalty was demonstrated when Cheddar scored the softest of tries as three of their players reacted quickest and three passes put a player in without a hand being laid on her.
Plenty to work on but numbers are good, fitness training for all on Tuesdays will help and Cajun Chicken on Thursday after training with all four senior sides winning their league games which is a first for Chew Valley RFC!