Blackheath Women vs Hove — 08 Dec 2024
Blackheath Women deliver a good performance at home, notwithstanding the unforgiving weather delivered by storm Darragh.
The game started with a bang as Clemence Labat (13) demonstrated her sharp instincts just three minutes in, intercepting a pass and sprinting over the try line to put Blackheath on the scoreboard. 5-0.
At the 7th minute, Rebecca Carter (1) made her mark with a powerful clear-out, regaining possession for Blackheath. A quick ball to the backs saw Labat pass to Paula Gonzalez (11), who lit up the touchline with blistering pace to score her first try for the Club. The scoreboard read 10-0.
Twelve minutes in, after sustained possession, a knock-on proved costly for Blackheath. Hove capitalised, with their winger finding space to score, narrowing the gap to 10-5.
The Club Women’s dominance in the scrum was on full display from the start. Still, Hove gained some momentum until Amelia Bradbury (7) quick out of a scrum forced the opposition fly-half into touch. The forwards took over close to the try line, drawing in defenders with powerful carries. RubyHughes (9) then reversed the play with precision, setting up Gonzalez for her second try of the game. The Club extended their lead to 15-5.
At the 30-minute mark, Labat kept the pressure on with a cheeky grubber kick. Though it didn’t yield an immediate result, the forwards set up camp on the 5-metre line. After a few phases, the ball was spun wide to Jackie Esono (12), who powered through her opposite number with a strong hand-off to score. The score rose to 20-5.
Despite continued efforts from both forwards and backs, a high carry in attack allowed Hove to push the Club back before the halftime whistle.
Half-time score: 20-5
The second half started with flair. At the 43rd minute, JanetOkolie’s (15) offload sent Ellis Moore (10) racing 20 metres before being halted just shy of the try line with a high tackle. A quick penalty led to clean work from the forwards, who set up the backs. Labat once again found the edge, diving over for a try. The Club pulled ahead 25-5.
Hove didn’t back down and struck back with single carries, eventually driving their hooker over the try line. The score moved to 25-12.
Blackheath’s defence held firm under another strong attack from Hove, with Brittany Mathison (14) executing a crucial last-man tackle to deny a line break. An exit kick relieved the pressure temporarily, but Hove came back with renewed intent. The Club’s forwards stood tall, earning a penalty by holding up a Hove attacker.
Carter found space among a scattered Hove defence, and pulled the Club forward with an outstanding carry into space, dotted with good hand-offs. The muddy ground made attacking play tricky though, and for the next 20 minutes, the Club dominated field position but struggled to convert it into points. However, Labat produced a moment of magic with a deft kick to the edge, where Okolie gathered the ball and powered over the line for a try. Sophie Durman’s (8) straight conversion sealed the deal, leaving the final score at 32-12.
A strong performance from both forwards and backs secured a well-deserved victory for the Club, with notable firsts and stellar efforts throughout the team.
Final Score: Blackheath 32 – 12 Hove
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