BLUEBIRDS SECURE FIRST HOME WIN AND SECOND CONSECUTIVE WIN

Chelmsford Bluebirds were back at home in their first game for a few weeks, as they hosted New Ash Green in the next round of the National Challenge 2 South East (East) league campaign.

Both Chelmsford and New Ash Green have had a tough start to the season, facing the strongest teams in the league as their opening games and so it was not easy to size each other up. Nevertheless, Chelmsford were determined to secure their first home win and second consecutive win, particularly given the high number of spectators. With the Rugby World Cup Quarter Finals showing at the club that morning, a number of people stayed on to watch the Bluebirds and, after a strong victory for the Blue Boys the day before, the pressure was on for the Bluebirds to maintain the momentum.

Chelmsford started incredibly strong, kicking down the hill and knowing that they had to use the slope to their advantage in the first half and hope their fitness held in the second half. The Bluebirds were united in chasing the kick off and applied sufficient pressure to win back the ball and get on the attack in the New Ash Green half in a matter of seconds. Controlling the game from the off, Chelmsford used several phases of forward ball to draw in the defence before passing the ball along the back line to Jessica Matthews, who, in her debut at fullback, darted round the isolated defenders to score under the posts. Karly Harrington converted, taking the hosts to 7-0.

After 15 minutes, New Ash Green had to drop a player due to injury and being unable to supply a replacement. Unfortunately, the rules in this league state that the opposition must match numbers (unless a player is dropped due to a yellow or red card) and so left wing, Nicola Baker, came off and the game was played 14-a-side from thereon in.

New Ash Green kicked off in the restart and tighthead prop, Amanda Arnold, caught the high ball and crashed it up before second row, Laura Farnsworth, took it up a further 10 metres. The resulting ruck was messy and Captain and scrum half, Mini Nowlan, was forced to get the ball out quickly but, fortunately, the lightning quick Marcys Jackowska – playing at outside centre – was there to receive the ball and ran an impressive line to race through the defence and put a second try on the board for the Bluebirds.

Chelmsford then started to get a little less disciplined and a combination of New Ash Green doing a better job of retaining possession of the ball and Chelmsford giving away penalties allowed one New Ash Green’s stronger runners to break through and score a converted try.
Echoing the first kick off, Chelmsford chased down a kick from inside centre, Zabrina Shields, and forced mistakes from the opposition, causing them to fumble and knock the ball on. A Chelmsford scrum was taken blind by Vice Captain and number 8, Maddy Hughes, who made an excellent run but was unable to find her mark when offloading the ball in a tackle and the ball was lost forward. Chelmsford turned over the scrum but the ball was knocked on again by the backs and a second New Ash Green scrum was called. New Ash Green retained the ball in the scrum but it was quickly intercepted by Nowlan and Chelmsford regained some control in the approach to half time. As with the first try, Chelmsford used their forwards to crash the ball up and draw in the defence before getting the ball out wide and giving Matthews the opportunity to score her second try and earn herself the title of Back of the Match. The try was converted and the score at half time was 17-7 to the hosts.

The second half started less positively for the hosts. Now working up the hill, loosehead prop Victoria Boyd made a bruising run just shy of 20 metres, with opposition players literally hanging off her but, unfortunately, she lacked the support to retain possession when she was finally brought down. With no one to ruck over, the ball was turned over and shortly afterwards Boyd received a yellow card. This was very much a team infraction. At half time, the referee gave both teams a warning that a card would be issued if anyone went in at the side of a ruck and, unfortunately for Chelmsford, Boyd took the hit. Chelmsford now found themselves with 13 players against 14 and suddenly the pitch seemed enormous and the Bluebirds had to work hard to defend the space. A kick and chase by the New Ash Green winger saw them score a really well executed try.

A New Ash Green player then suffered a neck injury and the game had to be moved a different pitch whilst an ambulance attended. The player is OK but with no replacements, both teams had to drop a player and Chelmsford, still with a player in the sin bin, found themselves with 12 players against 13. New Ash Green simply had too much space now and managed to score again, bringing the score to 17-19.
With the yellow card over, Chelmsford now had numbers equal to the opposition and brought on some fresh legs in the form of Clare Bond. Bond is a fierce player and always influential in the backs, often facilitating tries but it was her turn to score this time. Bond was due to start the game but had been struck down with a sickness bug in the week and was unable to play a full game but she used her energy well with a cannon ball style run down the centre of the pitch. Strong as ever in the set piece, a Chelmsford won scrum saw the ball safely passed along the backs and Bond used her infamous hand off to great effect to blaze up the hill to score under the posts. Harrington won the conversion and the score was 24-19.

In the final minutes, New Ash Green were determined and found themselves with the closest gap they’ve had so far this season. Conversely, Chelmsford tempers were flaring and there was a lot of in-fighting as they were desperate to keep the lead. The game ran for 2 hours due to the injury time and the game was exhausting, with so much extra pitch to cover and it took a lot for the Bluebirds to keep their heads.
New Ash Green attempted to replicate their earlier try with a kick chased down by the winger but Chelmsford now had Baker back on the pitch and after a close run race, she was able to ground the ball before her opponent and the score at full time was 24-19 to Chelmsford.
The Bluebirds next game is away to Lordswood Valkyries on Sunday 10 November.