In a game as intense as any competition final can be, Salford Red Devils Ladies came up just short in this enthralling encounter with near neighbours, Swinton Lionesses, going down by 12 points to 4, at the Millennium Stadium, Featherstone.
Not that there was any shame in that, for the Lionesses proved to be an extremely good side, easily the best, as might be expected in a final, that the Salford players have encountered in all rounds, and they should, in fact, be feeling great pride in the way they hung in, against all the odds, right through to the final whistle.
If there were any disappointment for them, it was perhaps that some were a little overwhelmed by the occasion, and did not perform to their usual standards. Factor in that it was also a local derby and the pressure on each of them was therefore all the greater.
Swinton’s early try, on 8 mins, proved to be quite significant, as the Red Devils found themselves four points adrift, a position that they had not experienced throughout the competition thus far. This slender deficit was unfamiliar territory to them, and that it remained in place for so long, became a cause of frustration.
Both sides should be extremely proud of their defences, as is shown by such a low scoreline, for summer rugby. Salford, with the ball were able to build up attacking positions really well, with their pack matching up to their opponents magnificently, thanks to the many good carries by their forwards, including Emily Bagguley, Sophie Morris, and Lydia Egan.
Although the introduction of replacement hooker, Holly Waddington, shortly before half-time, saw her catch out the Swinton markers, with scoots from dummy half on several occasions, their breaking down the Lionesses’ goal-line defence was otherwise most difficult, and the chances of the Salford strike players were very limited.
Alex Simpson, for example, never seemed to get one of those crucial passes that would have put her through a gap, and it was not until late in the second half that she came very close to scoring from her own blindside break from dummy-half.
Fullback, Anna Dennis, was clearly a known threat to several of the Swinton side, because wherever she went, she seemed to be escorted by up to four opponents, and she therefore just never found the gaps she so loves to exploit.
Her only real opportunity came from a beautiful chip, by Louise Fellingham, on which Dennis put herself on the end, but was unable to hold onto the ball in the melee of defenders around her. Had she been able to do so that could have been a turning point in the whole game.
It was midway through the second half, before a clear-cut chance of a try manifested itself, when the ever-reliable Jadine McVernon made Salford’s first clean break, going thirty metres, before a covering Swinton defender halted her fifteen metres out.
Just as it was beginning to look as if they might finish pointless, the Red Devils got the score they had so determinedly sought, and so fittingly deserved, four minutes from the end, when centre, Lauren Ellison, finished off a left to right passing move with a try in the corner.
Whilst there might have been shortcomings with ball in hand, their defence was absolutely outstanding, against a side which looked as if it were used to scoring at will, in any game.
The forwards must have tackled themselves to a standstill in totally blocking the middle against the opposition for almost the whole match. Only in the Lionesses’ second try from a sharp dart through by Stephens, from a play-the-ball, did they fail to measure up to any threat, since the first one, by Simpson, had come from an overlap on their left edge.
As a fullback and the last line of defence, any tackle she makes could be regarded as a try saving one, but Dennis certainly pulled off one, in the 18th minutes, and then, eight minutes later snuffed out a Swinton break before it could gain further momentum.
For sheer bravery, however, a special mention must be made of young, left winger Lily Gray, who had twice, in the first half, received some unceremonious treatment as she was making progress towards the corner.
In return, two consecutive, tiger-like tackles, saw her knocking bigger players backwards, putting them flat on the ground, to give her, one would suspect, the most satisfying of retribution.
Losing in any match is disappointing, but it is so much more so in a final. Our players, however, need only reflect on how very well they have done by just being in a final and taking part in such an important, and closely fought encounter, something for which we should be extremely proud of them all.
SALFORD
Anna Dennis, Marnie-Lee Kelly, Lauren Ellison, Alex Simpson, Lily Gray, Louise Fellingham, Ellie Costello, Emily Bagguley, Tamzin Corcoran, Lydia Egan, Stephanie Gray, Jadine McVernon, Maddison Price.
Interchanges
Sophie Morris, Caitlin Washington, Kayleigh Bradshaw, Megan Bragg, Abi Collins, Holly Washington, Emerald Hickey
