Crewe and Nantwich RUFC Ladies won the National Challenge 1 in compelling style with a rout of Kendal Wasps at Crewe Vagrants – their second league win in just four league seasons.
Crewe opened their league season with a hard fought 33-22 win at Kendal in the first game of the season.
And they showed clearly their progress as the ladies scored 14 tries to cement their position as league champions.
A Kendal red card in the first 10 minutes of the game for foul play saw the visiting team reduced to 14 players, and the lack of an extra defender in the wide channels proved costly.
Millie Jones (pictured) scored four tries with Nikki Laurence, Vicky Irwin India Perris Redding and Mollie Latham scoring a brace a-piece.
Although Kendal remained competitive in the first half, scoring a well worked converted try of their own, it was a combination of the power of the front five, led by Cherie Davies and Jodie Wilson with the pace and accuracy of the back row combinations of Katie Heirene, Mollie Latham and Kayla Hughes that gave the backs plenty of space to run in that ultimately decided the result.
Crewe and Nantwich Ladies have scored an incredible 117 tries this season, scoring an average of 44 points per game to just 12 against.
With a Plate semi-final and a promotion play-off looming, Crewe rang the changes in the second half and managed to maintain both the intensity and accuracy with Lauren Vipond and Nicole Bell also touching down with Nikki Laurence also adding to her personal try tally with several conversions.
Coach Paul Davis said: “We were all a bit shell-shocked after losing to Vagabond Ladies on the Isle of Man two weeks ago.
“So with some massive fixtures coming up, it was important to get our mojo back.
“It’s all about performance at this stage of the season and we proved in this game that the way training since August is perfect for the talent we have in the squad.
“As always, plenty to work on but it’s now fine tuning which is a great place to be.”
Captain India Perris-Redding said: “Even though technically we had won the league already, this game was important to put that beyond doubt and lay down a marker for the games that are coming up.
“When it clicks into place it’s fantastic to be a part of; some of the tries we scored were outstanding across a full-squad contribution both before and during the match.
“Winning the league this year was our primary aim so to do so emphatically at home was very pleasing for us.”
Crewe and Nantwich Ladies play Sefton Ladies in the Semi-Final of the Intermediate Plate on Sunday March 24 at Crewe Vagrants, 2pm.
(Pic courtesy of Sue Ridout)
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