Hettie is the Hierro as Blues battle to first Championship win over rivals

Newbury Blues Ladies battled to a first win of their Women’s Championship South season, beating local rivals Reading Abbey 24-5 on their own turf.

Abbie Leadbitter, Meg Horwood, Amy Turner and Hettie Martín-Hierro all scored tries as Blues secured a much-needed bonus point victory. Sadie Mansell added four points thanks to two successful conversions.

Newbury made a bright start to the game and were rewarded with the opening try. A superb driving maul following a lineout put the visitors in a good position before some fast and incisive handling amongst the backs fired Blues towards the line. Abbie Leadbitter collected the ball from the back of a ruck and carried the ball over the line to make it 5-0.

Blues continued to control the game and capitalised on their dominance at the lineout to add a second try as Meg Horwood was driven across the whitewash.

The visitors managed to shut-out Reading for the entire first half and extended their advantage after the break when some impressive link-up play between backs Ellen Thornton and Anna Kryzyzanowska unleashed the fleet-footed Amy Turner, who danced past several defenders to score Newbury’s third try of the afternoon.

Reading hit back, bundling over their only score of the game, but Blues made sure of a bonus point with the final score of the contest when Hettie Martín-Hierro went over underneath the posts.

Both women’s teams will be in action this weekend. The first XV are looking to build on their maiden win ahead of a testing trip to London Irish while the second XV will be seeking to maintain their winning run with a trip to league leaders Dorking.