Trailfinders Women vs Sale Sharks

Match Report

Trailfinders Women capped off 2023 with a brilliant 24-22 victory over Sale Sharks Women at TFSC.

Tries from Kate Zackary, a penalty try, Abby Dow and Julia Schell made all the difference in an incredibly tight contest.

Trailfinders started the stronger side, and they made their early pressure count. Zackary opened the scoring, picking up the ball off the back of the scrum and crashing over in the corner. Ellie Green missed the conversion.

The home sides dominance at the scrum was clear from minute one, and they used it full well to their advantage. After repeated Sale penalties at the scrum inside their 5-metre line, the referee awarded a penalty try. As per regulations, no conversion was necessary.

Sale Sharks hit back with a try of their own against the run of play. Georgie Perris-Reading burst round the Trailfinders line with a terrific turn of speed to score under the posts. Vicky A Irwin added the extras to reduce the deficit to 12-7.

Sale were reduced to 14 players after a deliberate knock on from Irwin, and despite some costly errors Trailfinders were able to take advantage with a wonder try from Abby Dow.

From a Sale scrum inside our 22, the pack were once again dominant, winning the ball back and quickly getting the ball out to Dow. In a ridiculous turn of pace, she simply breezed past her opposing player and charged down the touchline from our own 22 to score without doubt PWR try of the week. Green was unable to convert.

To cap off an action-packed half, Sale hit back again after a sensational 50-22 kick from Sian Jones got them to Trailfinders’ 5-metre line. The Sharks then bundled over the whitewash after successive phases. The conversion was missed to leave the score 17-12 at half time.

Sale started off the second half the stronger side and evened the scoring on 50 minutes. Two successive penalties had left Sale with a lineout on Trailfinders 5-metre line, and after a smooth blind side one-two, Niamh Swailes crashed over in the corner. The conversion was missed.

Trailfinders took back the lead with eight minutes to go via a fantastic try from Julia Schell. The home side put together a lovely move down the right side, and Schell beat the last player with an excellent burst of speed to score under the sticks. Green added the extras to make it 24-17.

Sale took it down to the wire with a late try in the corner, after Rowena Burnfield was sent to the sin bin for repeated penalties. However, the conversion was missed and Trailfinders were able to close out an emphatic win.