York RI vs Hull Ionians Women

Following a comfortable 19-5 win at Doncaster the previous week, Hull Ionians Women were confident as they faced a depleted York RI team at Brantingham Park.

The home team looked to move the ball from side to side to create space and went close to scoring before conceding a penalty for holding on, just short of the visitors’ line. York chose to run the ball, but could not get out of their 22 metre area. Hull Ionians capitalised with good ball work to allow their number 8, Kat Turner, to score a try from close range.

From the restart good combination between the rapid full back and left winger was only stopped by excellent defence from the York full back. A war of attrition then ensued with neither side being able to break out of the middle of the pitch. From an excellent miss passed by Ionian’s number 10, again the 11 & 15 linked up and made good ground down the wing, before being bundled into touch.

Good work by the wide players helped to get Ionians into the York 22, where the home team scrum half fell short after a sniping run through the crowded area.

Hull Ionians ended the half strongly creating another good chance for the number 11, who just narrowly missed a low pass.

The half-time score line of 5-0 reflected the lack of a great deal of action near either try line. Hull Ionians were ruing missed opportunities through too many handling mistakes and the massive penalty count against them.

Hull Ionians started the second half with much more conviction and created an opportunity for Paige Donnelly to outpace her opposite number to score. Hull Ionians now looked more comfortable at 10-0 up.

Hull Ionians then deservedly scored a fantastic team try. The momentum came initially from the forwards, who took on the ball with four fine driving runs. Eventually the ball came out to the backs, and the 15 cut in from the wing to step five players, but was stopped just short of the line. Great support from the number 8, meant that she only had to pick it up and go for the gap to make it 15-0.

Upon the restart, York still offered some threat, and following a kick to clear from defence, Hull Ionians failed to stop the ball going wide, where York took full advantage of a two on one on the full-back to score.

The response from Hull Ionians was almost immediate, with the number 8, creating space again and putting the number 19, Carly McDermott, in for a try from 30 metres out.
The best move of the whole game by the backs started with a miss pass and good hands from 13. Good ground was made with lots of support from the other backs. This enabled the number 17 Alice Ayres, to pick up a carve her way through a gap to score in the corner, in spite of the number 15 having hold of her.
The final score of Ionians 27- York 5 should give confidence to the side after two good wins, which will see them near the top of the league.