Ormskirk RUFC

Sunday 4th March

Halifax Vandals      5

Try : A O’Malley

On Sunday Liverpool Collegiate’s victory over Fleetwood knocked the Ladies off the top of Division North West 3.  However, the Ladies’ friendly against the Vandals brought them a prize arguably as valuable as three league points - self belief.  Quite simply, this was Ormskirk’s toughest game of the season against - if not the most accomplished side they have faced this season - then certainly the hardest.

The dirt track line up that the Ladies field in friendly matches includes girls from Wigan RUFC whose experience on the rugby field is measured in minutes rather than matches,  But they, like everyone else, dug deeply into their resources of courage and commitment to keep out the Vandals.

Halifax Vandals WRUFC do not, as yet, play in the League.  But woe betide the teams in any Division they eventually join.  They run with power and purpose, tackle mercilessly and never give up.

The Ladies attacking options were severely limited by Knockonitis on Sunday.  This is a condition brought on by a burly defender bearing down on you at 100mph and intent on taking your head off.  Somehow catching the ball doesn’t seem quite as important as staying alive.

But when they managed to stitch a few passes together the Ladies remained a potent threat.  Not least when No 8 Gail Kendall came on to the ball with a bit of space just outstide the Ladies’ 22.  Shifting up through the gears she arrowed past two defenders over the halfway line.  Outstripping two more she crossed the Vandals’ 22, cross the 5m line, beat the last defender, crossed the try line and then … well, she’s often been accused of taking things too far … the dead ball line.  Realising her mistake and hoping the referee was a complete idiot she then meekly stepped back into play and grounded the ball.  Unfortunately, he wasn’t.

Skipper and scrum half Anna O’Malley eventually gave the Ladies the lead with a break from the base of the scrum just inside the Vandals’ half.  Thereafter Ormskirk had to defend.  It was in this phas of the game that flanker Cara Pendleton won her Girl of the Game award.  WIth her boyfriend wincing on the touchline she hurled herself into tackle after tackle and set an example that centres Lynne Davidson and Jenny Leitch and winger Kayleitch McDonnell were only too happy to follow.  And O’Malley, who is little bigger than a hamster, also led from the front and, time and again, decked opponents twice her size … see, this is where similies break down!  Twice the size of a hamster is… what? … rabbit sized?  Which is rubbish.  In fact she was tackling women the size of Shetland ponies, only quicker and more bad tempered.

The Vandals pegged a try back and continued to press but the Ladies were in no mood to concede further.  It was heroic .. or should that be heronic? … stuff and great preparation for the upcoming League games against Fleetwood and Collegiate.

Report by Sam Botfield

Next game : Liverpool Collegiate Away 25th March