Newbury Women remain unbeaten after latest dominant win

Newbury Women maintained their unbeaten run with a dominant win over Cheltenham Ladies II on Sunday.

Newbury have won seven of their eight matches in the Women's Championship South West 2, drawing once and losing none.

Flanker, Meg Horwood, made her return from injury in perfect fashion, scoring Newbury’s opening try of the game.

Hooker, Chloe Hunt, bagged two points from the following conversion to put Newbury 7-0 up early on.

It was a landmark day for Hunt too, as she received her 100th Newbury cap.

Newbury stormed to a 20-3 half-time lead, in total control of the match.

Number eight, Tilly Burn, demonstrated incredible power when carrying the ball and a sense of control at the back of the scrum, as Newbury drove over the top of Cheltenham time and time again.

Cheltenham improved in the second half, but it was too late as Newbury secured a 25-8 victory.

Forward of the Match went to prop, Catrin Owen, performing solidly in the scrum and charging well with the ball to consistently break through the Cheltenham lines.

Back of the Match was awarded to winger Ellen Thornton, who showed brilliant strength in the tackle and an ability to make and find space.

Newbury next face bottom side Dings Crusaders Mavericks away from home on Sunday 23rd February.

For the Women’s second side there was a similarly impressive performance.

They travelled to Didcot in what was a very physical game of rugby, with both teams showing dominant tackles and challenges at the break down.

Newbury took the lead early on, as scrum half Maisie Litchfield popped the ball back to Fanny Fouin, who weaved her way expertly through the Didcot defence and put it down between the posts.

Tara Fitzgerald converted expertly, a recent addition to the Newbury squad having come up through the

girls section who won Forward of the Match.

Also impressive was debutant Lexi Thorp, another call up from the U18s, who made a series of wonderful charges through the Didcot defence.

A successful scrum allowed Fouin to run down the blind side before being caught on the 22m.

Maisie Litchfield found Leah Bertram, before the ball came to fullback Ellie Armstrong.

She returned it to Bertram, who shipped it to winger Eliza Holloway for a try in the corner to make it 12–0 at the break.

Strong carries and passing through the back line saw Newbury dominate once again after the break.

Returning scrum half Sofia Luxton took no time in spotting the holes in the defence and darted through, throwing in a dummy pass for good measure before popping the ball under the posts.

A strong carry from pack leader Sarah Coleman later saw another hole in Didcot’s defence, which Luxton capitalized on beautifully, once again taking the ball over the try line with ease.

The 22-5 victory sees the side go six points clear at the top of the Women's NC 3 South East, with three games left to play.