It was a tough baptism in RFU League 1 North for newly-promoted Workington Zebra Finches as they went down 54-29 to Ryton Roses at The Ellis, writes John Hastings.
However, they can take several positives from the match and they will certainly not be making up the numbers this season.
Before kick-off, both clubs as well as the spectators impeccably observed a minute’s silence in memory of former Finches player Nicola Wilson, who died seven years ago this month and the match was dedicated to her memory.
Ryton were also promoted, having won their league last season and had already demolished Lancaster University 50-12 in their opening league match a fortnight ago.
They wasted no time in making their presence known as they took only three minutes to break the deadlock with a converted try following their first serious attack.
If nothing else, that early setback galvanised Workington and they hit back with a couple of impressive surges of their own, especially from new captain Meagan McAndrew, the centre partnership of Elsa Whelan and Beth Sunderland and the returning Nicole Stewart, back in Finches colours for the first time since May last year.
But to their frustration they couldn’t prise their way through the doughty Ryton defensive wall and having ridden the storm, the North East ladies delivered the sucker punch as they doubled their lead on 17 minutes by catching their hosts off-guard with a neatly orchestrated pass-and-move attack that was finished off in the corner.
Eventually, Workington opened their account on 24 minutes when another probing attack finally picked the Ryton lock as Codey Johnston ruthlessly bludgeoned her way through to crash down for an unconverted try.
However, any hopes of a comeback were mercilessly and irreparably destroyed as Ryton stepped up a gear and posted four converted tries in ten minutes to put the match out of Workington’s grasp.
Each of these tries were virtually identical; starting off with a winning turnover, followed by lightning pace, executed passes and finally topped off with a thunderous run on the wing before touching down.
With the score now 42-5 and half time approaching, the Finches desperately needed to stop the Roses cavalry and they did just that on the stroke of half time when a series of well drilled runs ended with the industrious Lottie Cammack taking the final pass and touching down to set up a routine conversion for Stacey Carruthers as the half-time whistle went.
From the restart, Workington looked the more likely to score and they did just that on 46 minutes as another set of mini-attacks was completed by Cammack slicing through to score her second try of the afternoon, though there was no conversion this time round.
This new momentum almost saw another Finches try five minutes later, but Rose Cleeton was tackled with the try-line at her mercy.
Clearly, Ryton had finally woken up by this time and on 66 minutes produced another defence-shredding try and conversion – but Workington remained unbowed and though the game was out of reach, they were determined to hit the twenty point mark and make the scoreline respectable.
Seven minutes from time, that wish was ticked off when another set of attacks deep into Ryton’s half ended with a quick tap and go that saw Beth Sunderland nip in to snaffle a fourth try for the Finches, with Carruthers easily adding her second conversion.
With a minute to play, Ryton stretched their opponents to snapping point with a brilliant set piece to seal their eighth and final try as well as enabling them to reach 50 points for the second successive match, although this time the conversion fell just short.
But Workington were eager to have the last word and deep into stoppage time, Sunderland defied the attention of several Ryton players to touch down for her second try of the day and Carruthers can count herself unlucky with her conversion attempt as the ball peeled wide of the post at the last second.
So despite kicking off their league campaign with a defeat, Workington can accentuate several positives going into the rest of the season – new captain McAndrew was both assertive and motivational, with her deputy Danielle Easdon adding extra voice and bite in the front row alongside the reliable Sophie Weir and the tireless Cammack.
The centre partnership of Beth Sunderland and Elsa Whelan was productive and assured, whilst the comeback duo of Nicole Stewart and Marie Shearman both picked up where they left off, with Stewart always causing Ryton problems with her wily runs and Shearman providing extra security in the forward line when she came on in the second half.
Codey Johnston was virtually untouchable at loosehead prop and she dovetailed effortlessly with the no-nonsense Sally Fenwick and the hardy perennial Rose Cleeton, who once again rolled back the years with her performance.
Finally, special mention to the Finches’ two league debutants – Jessica Reid and Rosie Richardson were both exemplary in the backs and with more game-time plus positive confidence they have the potential to become fully-fledged regulars by the end of the season.
Judging by their performance, Ryton will be strong candidates for the RFU League 1 North title – Georgia Burnyeat and Niamh Hodgson absolutely ran the show for the Roses from start to finish, with Burnyeat claiming her second successive hat-trick.
Becky Lasaqa’s conversion defied the windy conditions and only missing her last attempt; however, she can be satisfied with a try and seven conversions to give her a personal haul of 19 points.
Allied to Zoe Frankland’s efficient, steady captaincy and a solid, uncompromising forward line, the Roses will take some stopping and it would be no surprise if they racked up 50 points on a few occasions over the coming months.
Next on the agenda for the Finches is a visit to Lancaster University on October 19 and after the controversial manner in which they lost the corresponding fixture last season (full time blown just before they scored what should have been the winning try), revenge and redemption will be uppermost in their minds.
