Panthers 44 - 5 Gateshead
20th October 2024
Women's NC 3 North
The Panthers hosted Gateshead Women RFC at Preston Avenue on Sunday. The match began with a powerful start from the Panthers, who quickly pushed Gateshead back into their 22. Just minutes into the game, D. Hepples opened the scoring with the first try. C. Ward soon followed, making a stunning break down the wing to secure another try, setting the Panthers on a confident path.
With precise passing and effective gameplay, N. Wood added her first try of the match, converted nicely by D. Hepples. Gateshead, however, refused to let the Panthers settle, exerting pressure and delivering some hefty tackles. Fortunately, L. Calvert charged through, gaining ground and pushing the team back into the opposition's half. A quick play from the scrum saw A. Hyde take a hard hit, resulting in a dislocated knee. We wish you a speedy recovery, Amber. Your Panthers are sending you all the love.
With Winger A. Goodwin stepping up to the 9 position the team quickly re-established their rhythm and maintaining pressure, D. Hepples scored another try under the posts. With quick hands from Calvert and a clever dummy run by C. Beaumont, Captain S. Gicquel also crossed the line for a try under the posts.
As the weather took a turn, strong winds and heavy rain made it challenging for both teams to maintain the flow of the game. Just as things began to settle, the halftime whistle blew.
With the downpour continuing, the Panthers struggled to regain their footing, allowing Gateshead to score their first try. However, as the skies cleared and the sun emerged, a beautiful rainbow arched over Preston Avenue, signalling a resurgence from the Panthers. N. Wood quickly added another try, and Captain S. Gicquel, proving to be unstoppable, broke through the defense for yet another score. Gateshead showed great resilience, demonstrating their fighting spirit, but ultimately, the final try of the match came from N. Wood, bringing the game to a close with a score of 44-5 in favor of the Panthers.
A special shout out goes to this week's match ball sponsor, Conor Ryan-Somers, who generously donated his pocket money to the team. Thank you, Conor!
Our Players of the Match this week were:
- Forward: Emily Mather
- Back: Alice Goodwin
- Opposition: Lauren Calvert