ON Sunday, October 8, Crediton Ladies took the long coach journey down the A30 to a sun-soaked Penryn.

The home side started well, deciding to play down the slope.  

They began to apply pressure across the pitch, especially at the break down, creating their first opportunity of the match with Crediton slow to defend their line. 

Penryn managed to find space to touch down under the posts and added the conversion.

With Crediton slightly shell shocked, Penryn retained the ball from the kick-off and started to dominate territory.  

This again created space to score out wide, but the following conversion was unsuccessful, leaving the score 12-0.

With the sobering thought that a response was needed, Crediton’s bodies suddenly regained signs of life, with the long bus journey eventually leaving the system!  

The insurgence began with some strong running, giving Crediton the chance to set up a ruck on Penryn’s five metre line. 

Scrum-half Chloe Hetherington was full of sprit and darted under the posts to score, leaving Rachel Mortimer to add the extra two.

Crediton now firmly with the bit between their teeth, received the kick-off and dug deep to set up camp in Penryn’s 22, before Sarah Kingdon powered her way over the line to score.  

Rachel Mortimer stepped up to add the extra two points, leaving the score 12-14 at half-time. 

The second half began well for Crediton. 

They started to overpower the home side’s scrum, which gave the back line licence to offer options that stretched the Penryn defence.  

It was Sophie Phillips that benefited from this hard work to cross the line but unfortunately the conversion attempt drifted wide of the mark.

With Penryn knowing that they could pull the deficit back, they started to put together a number of attacks into Crediton’s half, one of which led to flanker Sophie Phillips making an error and receive a yellow card for a high tackle.

Penryn made the most of their numerical advantage by trying to break down Crediton’s defence. 

But forcing the ball wide created an opportunity for centre Poppy McBain to intercept and she sprinted 40 metres before being caught. 

With some quick recycling, Katie Salter found herself with a short run in, to score for the bonus point try, sadly the conversion was unsuccessful leaving the final score 12-24

Forward of the match went to Emma Davie and back of the match to Poppy McBain.

Next up for Crediton Ladies is a home match against our local rivals Newton Abbot of Sunday, October 22.  

Please come and support you won’t be disappointed.

Kev Ellis