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WARRINGTON LUNAS 22 SWINTON LIONESSES  4

07 May 2023

Alan Dixon at Webb Security Recreation Ground, Crosfields

A lack lustre first half cost the Lionesses a chance of collecting their second victory of the season. Debuts were given to Madeleine Kane and Fatin Najwa Muhd Fadzli Amin.

The Lionesses couldn’t get going in attack with handling being the main problem in the wet conditions. Warrington scored first in the eighth minute. The Lionesses knocked on at halfway. Warrington drove the ball downfield. They dragged the defence over to the left and then switched the ball back over to the right where they had a big overlap which allowed Nicole Barnett to go over for a try. Charlotte Melvin couldn’t add the extras and the Lunas led 4-0. Eleven minutes later Warrington scored again. A forward pass gave them possession and they put on the same move. This time Jasmine Wilson scored. Charlotte Melvin kicked the goal for a 10-0 lead.

Warrington went back on the attack and looked like scoring again in the 23rd minute but a superb tackle by Izzy Birds and Mia Atherton held them at bay. The Lionesses eventually got some good field position in the 28th minute. Warrington lost the ball from a Lionesses kick. Maddie Higson re-gatherer possession in the Warrington half of the field. Good runs by Holly Grimes and Leah Christian got them close to the Warrington line, but they were unable to capitalise before handing the ball over. Warrington went straight downfield and put pressure on the Lionesses line. A kick into the in-goal had to kicked dead by Maddie Higson to prevent another score. From the drop out, the ball found its way to Chloe Richardson to score by the posts. Charlotte Melvin missed the conversion and the Lunas led 14-0 after 30 minutes.

The Lionesses started brightly in the second half and were soon pressurising the Warrington Lion but, they could not a way through the defence. Warrington gained from a hand over on their own line in the 54th minute. The ball was quickly moved into the Lionesses half of the field where it found its way to Hollie Jones who dummied her way over the line to score. Charlotte Melvin again missed the conversion.

Warrington applied more pressure on the line. A 61st minute drop out by the Lionesses  went to Lily Wilkinson who was stopped in her tracks by a superb tackle by Maddie Corrigan. Unfortunately Maddie had to leave the field with a cut head. Four minutes later, the Lionesses knocked on  20 metres from their own line. From the resulting scrum, Warrington moved the ball out wide to Megan Thorley to score in the corner. Charlotte Melvin couldn’t add the extras. Warrington now led 22-0. The Lionesses  got back into the Warrington half with good runs from, Chloe Birkett, Holly Grimes and Fatin Najwa Fadzli. More pressure by the Lionesses forced Warrington to lose the ball in the 74th minute. The ball was moved out to Holly Grimes who forced her way over the line to score. Georgia Cunliffe missed the conversion . Warrington now led 22-4. The Lionesses knocked on at the kick off. From the resulting scrum, Warrington moved the ball out to Charlotte Melvin who knocked on with the line at her mercy. From the scrum, the Lionesses moved the ball downfield. Maddi Higginson put in a nice little kick through the Warrington defence. Unfortunately Megan Thorley just beat Fatin Najwa Fadzli to the ball to regain possession for the Lunas.

Teams :

Warrington Lunas : Nicole Barnett, Rebecca Nixon, Libby Clarke, Tyler Moses, Alexsis Smith, Mollee-Anne Pickering, Hollie Jones, Maddison Price, Charlotte Meacham, Olivia Hill, Catrin Williams, Jasmine Wilson, Charlotte Melvin. SUBS : Catherine Davies, Megan Thorley, Christina Millan, Lily Wilkinson, Chloe Richardson, Ellise Wright

Tries : Barnett (8), Wilson (19), Richardson (31), Jones (54), Thorley (65)

Goal : Melvin 1

Swinton Lionesses : Maddie Higson, Izzy Birds, Mia Atherton, Libby Curran, Elizabeth Davies, Georgia Cunliffe, Ellie Thirkell, Leah Christian, Eve Ashcroft, Holly Grimes, Chloe Birkett, Sophie Sykes, Emily Haley. SUBS : Maddi Higginson, Abbie Parkes-Holden, Helena Ryan, Rebecca Roden, Madeleine Kane, Fatin Najwa Muhd Fadzli Amin, Maddie Corrigan

Try : Grimes (74)

Referee : Ronan Bird

Pens : 0-5                  Half Time : 14-0

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