Workington Zebra Finches’ reign as RFU Community Plate holders came to an end at Worcester with a 44-19 loss to Okehampton, writes John Hastings.
But despite the result, they can take pride in reaching another final and giving everything they could on the pitch throughout the 80 minutes
The Finches arrived at the Sixways Stadium in Worcester confident of making it a hat-trick of Plates, following back-to-back wins at Twickenham and Worcester in previous years, while Okehampton were hoping to complete the double, having won the RFU South West 2 League title.
From the kick-off, Workington dominated proceedings by swamping Okehampton territory and this was rewarded after five minutes when captain Juliet Porter snaffled the ball from a scrum to dance her way through to score under posts and set up a routine conversion for Stacey Carruthers.
Any threatening surges from Okehampton were quickly snuffed out, especially by hard, no-nonsense tackling by Meagan McAndrew as well as the solid and alert centre duo of Beth Sunderland and Megan Mayhew-Beach.
Controversy arose in the 15th minute when Finches hooker Danielle Easdon was punched by an Okehampton player but the referee missed it and when the incident was brought to her attention, only a stiff rebuke was given.
Workington were clearly fired up by this perceived slight and continued with more persistent attacks, but could not find a way through the well marshalled Okes defence.
Then on 26 minutes, Okehampton finally opened their account as a run penalty saw the ball change hands four times before full back Issy Edworthy galloped clear unopposed to score her 59th try of the season, but the conversion attempt hit the bar.
Clearly stung by this, Workington regained momentum and on 30 minutes increased their lead with a magnificent team try with several players combining before Elsa Whelan finished the job with a try in the far corner.
That try went unconverted, so the lead was now 12-5 & could have been even more but Whelan again, Carruthers and Lottie Cammack all went close, only thwarted by frantic, doughty tackling by the Devon ladies, who were down to 14 after a Yellow Card due to high tackling by Emily Cannon.
With five minutes left of the first half, Okehampton gradually pinned the Finches back into their own half with lightning runs from Edworthy and Abi Knight, usually a scrum half but today playing left wing.
Workington were reduced to 14 themselves when Whelan harshly received a yellow card for what the referee saw as a high tackle and this was the last thing they needed as Okehampton stepped up the pressure.
Suddenly, deep in stoppage time, Edworthy rounded off a well-drilled pass and move routine to sprint clear unopposed to score under the posts, but the conversion hit the bar and at half time, it was Workington 12 Okehampton 10.
The second half began with Workington eager to regain advantage but Okehampton stunned them on 50 minutes by taking the lead for the first time when another pass and move attack ended with Poppy McLean scooping through the Finches defence to register another unconverted try, although there seemed to be a forward pass in the build that the referee missed.
Workington hit back with another attacking surge, with Whelan, Porter, Lottie Cammack and Sophie Weir all in the thick of it, but they couldn’t yield any clear chances and once again, the Okes’ wall of maroon and amber held firm.
Just then, three tries in seven minutes dealt a crushing blow to the Finches that effectively sealed their fate and as before, it was the Okehampton’s lightning speed that proved crucial.
On 55 minutes, they stole a lineout and the backs swiftly fed Jenna Bierton who ghosted away before unselfishly offloading to Knight for her 2nd try.
Then the Champagne moment of the match came on the hour and against the run of play as Workington were building up a good attacking surge but then Knight alertly intercepted a stray pass before sprinting the length of the Sixways pitch to complete a fine hat-trick under the posts and set up a simple conversions by Edworthy.
Two minutes later, a quick tap and run by Garnet McKinder caught Workington flat footed and her pass found Knight who crashed down for her fourth try, followed by Edworthy’s second conversion to make the score 32-10.
Workington finally got the chance to get back into the match & another period of dominance was created as they pushed for at least one consolation try, with Whelan, Cammack & Porter again in the forefront.
Ten minutes from time, Okehampton’s defence – hitherto solid in the second half – was finally shattered by Rachel Smith who finished off a neat passing sequence by crashing down under the posts, enabling Carruthers to add her second conversion.
Okehampton were determined to have the last word though & with five minutes to go, McKinder found Knight who took advantage of slack Finches defence to nip in for an astonishing fifth try in her only her second game as a winger.
Both sides finished the match a player short as the card happy referee gave out yellows to the Finches’ Chloe Pape and the Okes’ Jenna Bierton for infringements.
Finally in the closing seconds, Knight tapped and ran before repaying McKinder by feeding her ball to round off a glorious afternoon for Okehampton and Edworthy’s conversion triggered full-time – the double was theirs.
Workington graciously received their silver medals before acknowledging their vocal supporters, who chanted loud and proud from start to finish even when the match slipped away – credit to main vocalists being Jen Morton, Susan Bowman, Julie Wilson and Eileen Cairns.
Despite the loss, every single Workington player gave everything and more on the Sixways pitch, even when the game was up they kept going whereas other teams would have meekly folded.
Lottie Cammack and Rachel Smith were highly praised for their driving, carrying and scrummaging, while Meagan McAndrew was singled out for her clinical, uncompromising and on-the-spot defence.
Juliet Porter has had a brilliant first season as captain – second in the league, reaching a final and scoring 21 tries. She will return next season hungrier to raise aloft a trophy.
And of course, one cannot overlook the invaluable coaching and sterling organisation of coaches Chris Davidson and Simon Thomson.
Credit to Okehampton, who at times were virtually playing rugby league with that electric speed. Abi Knight won Player of the Match for her 5 tries, Becky Dennis led from the front as captain while Issy Edworthy was simply uncatchable.
Workington leave Worcester with heads high and a unified determination to make up for the disappointment of no trophies this season by tasting silverware again by this time next year.
