Trailfinders Women vs Loughborough Lightning

Match Report

Trailfinders Women’s final home game of the season ended in the narrowest of defeats, losing 18-19 to Loughborough Lightning in their PWR clash at TFSC.

Tries from Abby Dow, Vicky Laflin and two Ellie Green penalties left Trailfinders just short against a tough Loughborough side, despite their phenomenal efforts.

A remarkably long opening phase of play lead to Lightning’s first try, as back and forth possession forced the away side to attack with width, resulting in a try from Laura Keates.

Trailfinders hit back through Red Rose superstar Abby Dow, using her lightning pace to score down the left flank, after an excellently retrieved box kick by Megan Barwick set the home side up in great territory.

Ellie Green then put Trailfinders ahead from the tee after successive Loughborough infringements 18 minutes in.

Lightning were further penalised seven minutes later, this time for not rolling away just outside their 22, and Green’s kick at goal rattled off the posts and over to make it 11-7.

Loughborough then thought they had retrieved the lead shortly after, as some fluid play orchestrated by Emily Scarratt had them over the line, but it was called back for a knock on.

In answer to this close call, Trailfinders responded with some spectacular rugby to extend their lead to 11 points.

The move began with Dow, whose chase off Ella Amory’s excellent box-kick was nothing short of perfect, and with some quick ball out, Green put in a delightful cross-field kick into Laflin on the right, who burst away to score. Green’s conversion was good.

Loughborough’s rolling maul began to prove a problem for the home side, as they found out three minutes later through Kathryn Treder, who bundled over the whitewash to leave the score 18-12 at the break.

The start to the second half was a tense affair, with both sides probing but unable to capitalise.

They say lightning never strikes twice, but in Loughborough’s case it did 55 minutes in as Treder scored off the rolling maul again for her second of the day. Scarratt converted to take the lead.

The remainder of the game was back and forth, with mistakes denying both sides from fulfilling their attacking potential.

Loughborough managed to grind the game out in the closing stages, putting up solid defence and penning Trailfinders inside their own 22 before time ran out, leaving the final score 18-19.