Jersey Reds Women tasted defeat for the first time the season, after an attritional game at Basingstoke Ladies on Sunday.
Despite travelling with a 17-player squad, Head Coach George Eastwell was soon scratching round for a playing 15 after a series of injuries disrupted an already scrappy affair.
The Reds took the lead early in the game when left-wing Taye Boakye-Yiadom broke clear after a clearance. She managed to maintain control of the ball with her feet right until she was 10 metres from the opposition's try line. After getting the ball in full control, she then fed the ball to fellow wing, Lauryn Blackmore who went over for her first ever try to put the Reds 5-0 up.
Basingstoke hit back within 10 minutes following poor execution of a set-play move by Jersey. A strong drive by the Basingstoke pack then allowed by ball to go through the hands of the backs, before their winger scored in the corner to draw the scores level at 5-5.
On the half hour mark the hosts took the lead, when after a period of scrappy play in the Reds 22, Basingstoke's strong number 8 bulldozed her way over to the right of the posts to make it 10-5.
As play moved into the second period, Jersey's back line started to come into play. Skipper Lauren Lowe lead her team around the field well, and before long she fed the excellent Boakye-Yiadom to score a try in the corner, to once again pull the game level at 10-10.
The key score went the way of the hosts though, around 10 minutes before the end. A disputed high shot on Kerry Le Lievre on the Reds 10 metre line, was missed by the offical. Following the loss in possesion, Basingstoke managed to again, force their way over under the posts to take a 7-point lead.
The scoring was complete at that point, with the Reds eventually finishing the game with 13 players. A spirited effort on the day, just wasn't enough to see them home and Basingstoke took the points on this occasion.
Head Coach Eastwell will this week, with the support of the management team, assess the situation of the injured players and count the numbers ahead of the Reds opening home fixture with Southampton on 20th October. A further update will follow on the status of these players when available.
31 Mar 2023
Five games remain to define Championship season
