By Ian Lodge
Thanet Wanderers Ladies 19 Thurrock 47
Buoyed by their recent victory at Hammersmith & Fulham two weeks ago, Thanet Wanderers were looking to avenge their heavy defeat by Thurrock in November at St Peter’s in a top of the table shoot out for the NC2 league.
Nursing some notable injury absences in the guise of try scorer Rachael Austerberry and Thahseen Ali, a reshuffle of the backs saw full back Jess Anderson step into the 13 shirt and the vacancies filled by the accomplished Léonie and Megan Bish.
Once skipper Gee Cordell had elected to work with the elements, it was not long until fly half, Alex White had pumped the ball into the Thurrock 22 and forwards started to apply the pressure. Pick and go phase play from the Thurman-Newell trio of Milly, Ella and Holly ended up with the simple task of scrum half, Maria Castellina dotting down. White converted for 7-0.
Cordell herself then added to the score after scooping the ball up on the half way line and outpacing the cover defence for another converted score and Thanet had raced to a 14-0 lead in as many minutes.
Thurrock – a bigger, longer developed, more experienced side – changed their approach to the game. Their big forwards picking and going from the base and hitting the first channel which was a strategy that Thanet, as a young side were not equipped to deal with. Thurrock came back with 2 quick tries and all of a sudden it was 14-12 to the hosts.
Some injuries in key areas followed, most notably Ella Thurman-Newell whose damaged knee will see her miss the rest of the season and Thurrock capitalised whilst Thant tried to recover. Three more tries before the half time break saw Thurrock lead 33-14.
The second half saw some shuffling of players, Fleur Moat and Vicky Flower went into the forwards, Megan Bish and Ellie Hunt filled the wings and Chloe Siddall, recent signing from Aylesford made her debut.
A much tighter affair in the second half saw Thurrock add two tries to their tally whilst a training field move saw Izzy Lodge feed Anderson to leave the final score at 47-19.
In the end, despite the scoreline there was not an enormous huge difference between the sides but the experience from the Thurrock line-up saw them run out convincing winners leaving Thanet ladies licking their wounds. But Thanet don’t have long as they travel back to Thurrock in the quarter finals of the RFU Junior Cup on Sunday 3rd March.