Rovers win Women's Challenge Cup

Thank you to our friends at http://www.womensrugbyleague.co.uk/, for providing the following post by Rebecca Bird

The afternoons second final saw Bradford Thunderbirds and Featherstone Rovers battle it out for the Challenge Cup trophy. Featherstone took to the field as slight favourites having beaten Bradford twice in the league.

In front of a large crowd Featherstone started brightest, they made strong inroads into the Bradford half for Emma Slowe to squeeze over the try line. Bradford looked to attack with scrum half Kirsty Moroney in the thick of the action but the Featherstone defence held out and they worked their way back up field and following a couple of sniping breaks Dani Titterington raced over. 12-0 to Featherstone with 25 minutes played. Quick hands resulted in the final score of the half, Dani Bound made the initial break for Featherstone, the ball was moved quickly and Paula McCourt dotted down. Half time score 16-0 to Featherstone.

Into the second half with only a few minutes gone Featherstone were on the score sheet again, Second Row Andrea Dobson looked to have been stopped short but was able to stretch out to grab the try. Dobson followed up this effort with a thundering hit to turn the ball over inside the Bradford 20 metre line.

This set up Lyndsay Anfield who swivelled through an attempted tackle to score. Anfield was over again shortly afterwards a well-timed pass from Katie O’Toole saw Anfield with space out wide to race over. Despite Bradford’s best efforts to mount a comeback the Featherstone defence would prove impossible to breach and on the counter Dobson raced away to score under the posts. As the game began to break up Anfield grabbed a hat rick following an inside break and offload by Dobson.

The final score came 5 minutes from time when McCourt grabbed her second try as she broke a tackle and raced 30 metres to score. Final score 46-0 to Featherstone. The man of the match was awarded to Andrea Dobson. Bradford were unlucky not to get over the whitewash but showed great determination against a very well drilled Featherstone side that proved too powerful on the day and deservedly lifted the Challenge Cup.


Bradford Thunderbirds
1. Sarah Ashton
2. Ashlea Prescott
3. Amy Hardcastle
4. Jamie Dion
5. Lesley Bowlins
6. Danielle Bose
7. Kirsty Moroney
8. Lauren Hickey
9. Lois Forrsell
10. Stacey Wilson
11. Rachel Twibill
12. Dani Swaine
13. Jen Waite
Replacements
14. Joanne Ollrenshaw
15. Paige Costello
16. Tara Yarrow
17. Lisa Taylor
18. Lauren Stallwood

Featherstone Rovers
1. Lyndsay Anfield
2. Michelle Greenwood
3. Hannah Bairstow
4. Dani Titterington
5. Dani Bound
6. Gemma Walsh
7. Katie Cooper-Birkenhead
8. Sarah Hewart
9. Katie O’Toole
10. Emma Slowe
11. Andrea Dobson
12. Paula McCourt
13. Kim Field
Replacements
14. Jodie Litherland
15. Jess Hammond
16. Vanessa Wilshaw
17. Baz Sultana
18. Becky Cookson


Tries
Emma Slowe – 1
Dani Titterington – 1
Paula McCourt – 2
Andrea Dobson – 2
Lyndsay Anfield - 3
Goals
Andrea Dobson – 3
Kim Field - 2


Referee: John Seymour
Half time Score: Featherstone 16 – Bradford Thunderbirds – 0.
Man of the Match: Andrea Dobson (Featherstone)