Southwold Swallows 17 Deeping Devils 5
Oct
This was a massive victory for the Swallows that will send shock waves through the South Eastern 3 league. Southwold had never beaten Deeping in a 15 a side match and to topple them on their home patch was sensational. There was no fluke in this victory that was thoroughly deserved by all sixteen players who pulled on a black and gold shirt producing a complete team performance and when push came to shove Southwold simply wanted it more.
Laura Marjoram won the toss and wisely chose to play into the brisk breeze in the first half. Southwolds defence has never been in question and with Clare Phelps, Amy Gregory and Anna Robinson leading the big hits brigade, ably supported by the rest of the team Deeping were kept at bay. The Swallows were special in the set piece, shoving the scrums and spoiling the line outs but for the first forty minutes Deeping dominated the breakdown rucking Southwold off the park. Two good offloads from the home side saw Deeping take a 5-0 lead when their scrum half crashed over from close range. Southwold had given glimpses of their cutting edge and when Elissa Cox released Kim Roberts the rapid centre was only stopped by a questionable tackle. Southwold spent the last five minutes of the first half camped in the Deeping 22 with an inspired Michaela Scarle going closest as the referee called her touchdown a double movement.
The first 15 minutes of the second half was a nip and tuck contest with both sides having chances as there was no quarter given. However Southwold were starting to win some important battles. The front six of Karen Fletcher, Sally Turner, Sharon Larter, Michaela Scarle, Laura Marjoram and an excellent Laura Nutt got their own rucking game going whilst taking complete control ot the set scrum. Add to this Bev Whytes domination of the line out Deeping were under the cosh. It was Southwolds new found Braveheart, Laura McDonald, who drew the sides level taking a short pass from Bev and was simply unstoppable. At 5-5 the match was tense as both sides strove to find a winner. The ball was going wider with Southwolds back three, Chantelle Savage, Nina Roe and Donna Cooper coming into the game, all having chances to run whilst also having to make try saving tackles. Indeed one of those tackles saw the ball loose and the ubiquitous Laura McDonald scooped the ball up and sprinted 60 metres to put the Swallows in front. The game became even more frantic as Deeping propelled the proverbial kitchen sink in Southwolds direction. The Swallows response was impressive. Clare, Bev, Elissa, Amy and Michaela were everywhere giving Deeping no time at all and when centre Anna Harrison stopped her opposite number dead in her tracks Kim was on hand to counter attack and she sped the necessary 70 metres to totally knock the stuffing out of the home side. Kims accurate conversion was the icing on the cake giving Southwold an unassailable 17-5 lead.
This Sunday the Swallows will be looking to remain unbeaten in the league when they entertain Peterborough on Southwold Common kicking off at 2.30pm with all support very welcome.
