Stamford Women’s Rugby continue to create milestones for the club
Stamford Women continued to make club history when they put out two competitive sides for the first time ever on Sunday.
The first team entertained Peterborough Ladies while the newly formed development side, Stamford Storm, travelled to Boston Rugby Club where they played matches with a number of similar club development sides.
The Storm certainly made their mark with great performances from all of the players and special mention should go to debutant Sarah Bedford for an impressive introduction to rugby and also to captain Stevie Morrison for ensuring the side gelled together in their first ever fixture.
Stamford Women's first team started the local derby impressively with a try from Poppy Murray within the first five minutes.
Following a spill in the Peterborough line, Murray gathered the ball at the home 10 metre line and ran route one towards and under the opposition posts to secure the first points of the match.
The boot of Daisy Attley secured the additional points from the resulting conversion.
The initial shock of the early home try spurred the visitors on and, with regular forays into the Stamford half, Peterborough were able to score four tries including a penalty try which was due to an infringement from the home back row.
However, Stamford's spirits were never down and it was the home side who scored the last try of the half.
From a ruck near the Peterborough 10 metre line, Nash Hadley picked up the ball and bulldozed her way towards the opposition try line.
With about a metre to go, she was tackled and, while going to ground, expertly managed to pass the ball to the uncontainable Nikki Hudson who managed to place the ball over the line.
Stamford's positiveness shone through in the second half when they were on equal footings with their long-established opposition with plenty of foraging runs in the visitors' half which threatened more points being placed on the scoreboard.
However, they were not forthcoming until a ruck five metres from the visitors try line saw Anna Glendinning pick up the ball and, with several opposition players attempting to drag her to the ground, powered her way over the line and placed the ball down.
Unfortunately, they were the final points that Stamford scored and, with the visitors adding a late try, the game ended 29-19 to worthy winners Peterborough.
Stamford are back in action on Sunday when they travel to Coalville Ladies in the next round of the RFU Papa John Community Cup.