Women defeated in Derby – Wigan Warriors

• Match report as Wigan Warriors Women narrowly lose against St Helens Women at The Brick Community Stadium.
• Ellise Derbyshire and Eva Hunter crossed for the Warriors.
• FT | Wigan Warriors – Women 12-16 St Helens – Women.

Match report as Wigan Warriors Women fall to narrow derby defeat at The Brick Community Stadium.

St Helens had the best of the first half, a Rachael Woosey double saw the visitors into a 10-0 lead at the break.

A close second-half contest saw Ellise Derbyshire cross for Wigan before Vicky Whitfield responded for St Helens. A fantastic try from Eva Hunter wrapped up the contest as Wigan fell to a narrow 16-12 defeat in Derby.

Report

Saints had their best chance of the opening stages when Luci McColm went through but Isabel Rowe got her body under the St Helens Center to keep her over the line and deny the try. Wigan were fouled close to their own goal line shortly after the visitors had a cross down the left to see Rachael Woosey for the opener. Gaskin added the extra to make it 6-0.

St Helens went close again in the 18th minute when Tara Jones chased down a kick but the Saints hooker pounced as he tried to ground the ball as Wigan got the ball back.

The visitors extended their lead in the 23rd minute when Rachael Woosey crossed for her second, again taking advantage of an overlap down the left to slot over for a corner. A sideline conversion by Faye Gaskin fell under the sticks and it was 10-0 to St Helens.

The Warriors had their best chance after the half-hour mark when a good backhand drive from Foubister caught Salihi in goal for a goal-line pull-back. The drop-out fell to Wigan for another good set-piece and played through the hands to the left wing, but an error on the wing saw the Warriors unable to convert their possession into points at the end of the half.

Wigan started the second half well as they asked the questions and were finally rewarded in the 50th minute when a great ball from Foubister found Ellise Derbyshire on the left wing to dive over and reduce the deficit . Rowe’s conversion was on target and the scores were back at 4 as Saints led 10-6.

The Warriors had a great opportunity to level things with 15 minutes remaining as a ball from Rowe was allowed to bounce into the arms of Anna Davies who raced into the corner but a good tackle from Cunningham denied her extreme just a few meters from the runway. and it remained 10-6 in favor of St Helens.

The visitors extended their lead with 10 minutes to go when the referee again awarded a six to St Helens for Vicky Whitfield to crash over from close range. Gaskin converted to make it 16-6.

Wigan tried to pull a score back in the dying minutes, but a shot from Molyneux was too strong for Davies on the wing, who saw the ball lose before he could get his hands on the ball as St Helens 16-6. .

A great flurry from Wigan with the final set of the game saw Jenna Foubister set up Eva Hunter for a try with a delightful chip over the top. Rowe converted the effort but it wasn’t enough for the Warriors who went down to a narrow 16-12 defeat.

Gallery:

Wigan Warriors Women: Grace Banks, Anna Davies, Georgia Wilson, Molly Jones, Ellise Derbyshire, Isabel Rowe, Jenna Foubister, Holly Speakman, Rease Casey, Alice Fisher, Mary Coleman, Victoria Molyneux, Rachel Thompson.

Change: Eva Hunter, Jade Gregory-Haselden, Cerys Jones, Carys Marsh.

18th player: Kaitlin Hilton.

Try: Derbyshire (50′), Hunter (79′)

Objectives: Row 2/2

St Helens Women: Beri Salihi, Megan Williams, Luci McColm, Erin Stott, Rachael Woosey, Zoe Harris, Faye Gaskin, Vicky Whitfield, Tara Jones, Chantelle Crowl, Paige Travis, Emily Rudge, Jodie Cunningham.

Change: Naomi Williams, Katie Mottershead, Darcy Stott, Pip Birchall.

18th player: Pip Birchall.

Try: Woosey (8′, 23′), Whitfield (71′)

Objectives: Gaskins 2/3