***SUTTON COLDFIELD RFC LADIES MATCH REPORT - 23rd FEBRUARY 2020***

Sutton Coldfield Ladies sealed their 3rd successive league title and are well on course for a home end of season ‘play off’ to the Women’s Championship (national level 3 of the Women’s game) after a comfortable 63-0 win over their gallant visitors from Gloucestershire scoring 11 try’s and 4 conversions in the process.
Versatile Sutton captain Charlie Byrne, having a runout on the wing, got the ball rolling after just 7 minutes when open side flanker Roisin McBrien put her in for a classic two-on-one score after the pack won a scrum against the head on the opposition 22 metre line.
From the restart, McBrien made a telling break from inside her own half before outpacing the covering defence to go under the posts; full back Alison Livermore, in her first game back after a long absence with an ankle injury, knocked over the conversion and the lead was out to 12-0.
On 16 minutes good hands by the backs allowed outside centre Katie Gregory the chance to put Byrne in again out wide for her 2nd try of the afternoon.
On 25 minutes Gregory was then the beneficiary after some superb work by loose head prop come blind side flanker Candice Grayson put her in under the posts for Livermore to convert for 24-0.
With half time approaching Byrne completed the 2nd hat-trick of her career when she broke free from halfway before winning the race to cross for her 9th try of the season and with it the all important bonus point score leaving it 29-0 at the break.
Young Sutton fly half Connie Bradshaw set the tone for the 2nd period with a huge early hit on the visitors inside centre who thankfully was able to recover after treatment and bravely soldiered on.
Moments later, following a turn over in Hucclecote 22, Vicky Sullivan, who’d been very effective all afternoon in her experimental tight head role, smashed through the visitors rearguard to register her 4th try of the campaign pushing the lead out to 34-0.
Despite all seven Sutton replacements being introduced by coaches Nathan Burchell and George Ord the dominance of the league leaders never let up and on 57 minutes another superb break by Byrne led to McBrien, who’d followed the play like the good open side she, being on hand to cross for her 2nd try of the afternoon.
Five minutes later McBrien, the Women’s Section leading ever try scorer, was at it again as she chased her flyhack through before winning the race for the touchdown to bring up her own hat-trick for the day and her 15th try of the current campaign drawing level at the top of this season’s charts with Jada Bailey who had been ‘rested’ from the starting XV today; this was the 3rd time this season McBrien has scored 3 or more try’s in a game from the back row.
On 66 minutes Katie Gregory, who has distributed beautifully all afternoon, made a clean break herself from the visitors 10 metre line before going under the posts allowing Byrne to convert for a 51-0 lead.
After 72 minutes, the lively Byrne, the game’s outstanding player, from deep inside her own 22 profited from an overlap on the right touchline before running the length of the field only to get held up agonisingly close to the opposition try line; however, McBrien maintained the momentum before putting replacement scrum half Alex Webster in at the corner for her first ever try for the Club.
The final nail in the Hucclecote coffin was delivered in the last play of the game when Gregory once more was the provider for impressive outside centre replacement Jo Hart, another to have been ‘rested’ from the starting XV, to exploit a gap in the despairing visitors backline and go under the sticks for the former Worcester Warriors outside centre’s 8th try in just 5 brief appearances; fittingly it was captain Byrne, a key driver in this golden period of success for the Women’s team, who slotted the conversion for a final scoreline of 63-0, a win that confirmed the Women’s NC1 West league title with the luxury of two games still to play.
Thank to Hucclecote for making the long journey and ‘hats off’ for playing with such great spirit in the face of much adversity. Good performance by a much changed Sutton side which just emphasises the strength in depth available to the selectors, a luxury most rivals can only dream of. Big shout-out to the pack who were formidable all afternoon with ‘forward of the match’ Charlie George and inexperienced hooker Charley Hope taking the plaudits alongside rejuvenated leader Emma Clueit and teenage #8 Bella Timmins.
Congratulations to all the Sutton players and coaches on another league title but the real goal has always been ‘play off’ success which once again is within grasp with this victory; bonus point wins in the final two games, beginning next week at home to 3rd place Five Ways Old Edwardians, would secure a home tie in the ‘play off’, exciting times for all involved if you are of a ‘green’ persuasion..!!

Photo - Happy post match scenes with the day’s try scorers (L-R) Katie Gregory(2), Vicky Sullivan, Charlie Byrne(3), Roisin McBrien(3), Alex Webster, Jo Hart.

Gerry Shanahan
Team Manager
Sutton Coldfield RFC Women