Manchester Swinton Lionesses 78        Hull FC  4

Alan Dixon at Heywood Road

Manchester Swinton Lionesses’ unbeaten run continued with an emphatic victory over Hull FC. They equalled the most points scored in a home game and numerous milestones and records were broken.

The Lionesses got off to a flying start when Hull knocked on at the kick off. From the scrum, Abbie Singleton passed the ball out to Grace Arrowsmith who sent Grace Pritchard in at the corner to equal the tries in a season record. The conversion was missed. Hull battled hard to get near the Lionesses line but, they knocked the ball on. From the scrum, runs by Tamika Bull, Eleanor Atherton and Georgia Briggs allowed the Lionesses to send Amber Harmon over for a try. Maddie Higson converted. The Lionesses knocked on whilst on the attack. This allowed Hull to move the ball downfield from the scrum. They kicked on the last tackle. The ball bounced away from the Lionesses defenders which allowed Alyx-Rae Worth to pounce on the ball to score. Marcie Kemp was unable to convert. Hull lost the ball on their next possession which allowed the Lionesses to go back on the attack. Good runs by Emma Welsford and Chloe Newbigging got the ball out to Sammi Simpson who cut through the Hull defence to score. The conversion was missed.

From the restart, Tamika Bull broke through the Hull defence. The ball was then taken up by Eleanor Atherton before the ball was moved out to Tamika Bull who dummied her way to the line to score her fiftieth point for the club. Maddie Higson converted. Hull went back on the attack but again they knocked on in good field position. From the scrum, Tamika Bull broke through the Hull defence and went 80 metres to score under the posts. She equalled the tries in a season record. Maddie Higson converted. Hulls next attack ended with them kicking on the last tackle which went into touch. From the restart, runs by Amber Harmon and Abbie Singleton sent the Lionesses back on the attack. Emma Welsford weaved her way through the Hull defence to score under the posts. Maddie Higson converted.

The Lionesses came out with all guns blazing at the start of the second half. Good runs by Emma Welsford and Leila D’Symonds allowed Maddie Higson to weave her way through the Hull defence to score. She converted her own try to set a new points in a season record. The Lionesses continued to attack the Hull line. A Tamika Bull kick on the last tackle was dropped by the Hull fullback. Grace Pritchard recovered the ball and broke through the fullback’s tackle to score under the posts to set a new tries in a season record. Maddie Higson converted. Hull put the Lionesses line under pressure but were unable to break through the strong Lionesses tackling. A kick By Tamika Bull was charged down. The loose ball was recovered by the Lionesses which allowed them to set up their next attack close to the halfway line. Runs by Leila D’Symonds, Maddie Higson and Georgia Briggs allowed Jasmine Wilson to go round the outside of the Hull defence to score. The conversion attempt was missed. They scored again straight from the restart. Georgia Briggs broke through the defence and went on a forty-metre run. Further runs by Grace Arrowsmith, Maddie Higson and Chloe Newbigging got them close to the Hull line. Maddie Higson sent Sammi Simpson through a gap to score. Maddie Higson converted.

The Lionesses were awarded a penalty on their next attack. Good runs by Georgia Briggs and Amber Harmon Sent Tamika Bull through a gap to score and equal the new tries in a season record. Maddie Higson converted. Hull went back on the attack but lost the ball. The Lionesses recovered the ball and launched their next attack with runs from Chloe Newbigging and Georgia Briggs. Tamika Bull then went on a thirty-metre run before passing the ball to Leila D’Symonds to score under the posts. Maddie Higson converted for the 100th point of the season. The restart went to Ella Topham who set off on a run. The ball was passed inside to Grace Pritchard who broke through the Hull defence to go on a sixty-metre run to score under the posts and set a new tries in a season record. Maddie Higson converted. The Lionesses scored again from the kick off. Yasmin Parton Sotomayor broke through the Hull defence. The ball was moved out to Tamika Bull who ran thirty metres to score under the posts and equal the tries in a game and tries in a season records. Maddie Higson converted to equal the goals in a game and points in a game record and set a new goals in a season record.

Teams:

Manchester Swinton Lionesses: Leila D’Symonds, Chloe Newbigging, Jasmine Wilson, Grace Arrowsmith, Grace Pritchard, Tamika Bull, Maddie Higson, Eleanor Atherton, Abbie Singleton, Yasmin Parton Sotomayor, Sammi Simpson, Amber Harmon, Georgia Briggs. Subs: Ella Topham, Emma Welsford, Tiegan Shaw, Amelia Newton.

Tries: Pritchard (1,48,73), Harmon (7), Simpson (19,58), Bull (22,27,62,76), Welsford (33), Higson (43), Wilson (54), D’Symonds (70)

Goals: Higson 11

Hull FC: Lily Bunby, Georgia Smith, Natalie Romano, Rosie Diment, Alyx-Rae Worth, Abby Price, Macie Kemp, Eleanor Hordon, Jade Key, Abbie Wardell, Kacey-Mae Sexton, Genevieve Scott, Davinia Richardson. Subs: Shannon Ostler, Olivia Wilsher.

Try: Worth (14)

Pens: 5-0                  Half Time: 32-4                  Referee: Callum Murphy