It was a derby day encounter that met every expectation of the Friday night crowd, with Henley Hawks Women pushing Abbey Women all the way. However, the defence of the home fortress held firm and Abbey avenged their heavy defeat from earlier in the season.
A try in each half from Jess Williams and Maggie Simpson sealed the 12-7 win for the home side, whose defensive effort was monumental all match, with ferocious hits keeping Henley at bay despite numerous scoring opportunities.
As well as the scoring, dominant rolling mauls and opportunistic turnovers kept the crowd entertained in the first fixture of its kind under lights for Abbey Women.
Abbey applied pressure from the off, with early turnovers from Annette Bevan and Claire Stevens ensuring possession, and intelligent kicking for territory from Alice Denton-Rice gaining valuable territory.
Abbey were soon camped within Henley’s 22 within the opening quarter, but a lack of patience spoiled some early scoring opportunities and Henley escaped time and time again with dynamic backs Gen Moody and Lauren Mueller showcasing great speed in counter-attack.
Despite some handling errors, Abbey were controlled and assured in defence, thwarting any further Henley attacks and continuing to kick for territory in the opening quarter. A ball threaded through by Bevan was pounced on by Moody and it was Henley’s turn to do the thwarting.
Eventually, the deadlock was broken by Henley. Enjoying the upper hand in the scrums at that time, a good run from number eight Hari McCormack allowed scrum-half Steffi Clarke to dash for the line, only to be hauled down by Bevan metres short.
Henley were now properly testing Abbey’s defence for the first time all match and the home team repelled wave after wave of attack, with centre Jess Gundry needing a bandage to the head as a result.
Eventually, the deadlock was broken with Henley’s second-row Sam Page crashing over from short range. Rachel Humphreys converted and the visitors were off the mark.
The home side were not fazed and responded well. Strong carries from Annabel Hawkins and Simpson kept the visitors on the back foot and the Abbey backline started to come into play, with strong line breaks from Alice Denton-Rice and Gundry that just couldn’t quite be converted into points. Ellie Denton-Rice marshalled quick ball at the rucks well and the front row trio of Rosie Staples, Claire Stevens and Jess Potter were starting to dominate at scrum time.
Eventually, after another strong attacking scrummaging platform, Ellie Denton-Rice winged the ball to Bevan, releasing Jess Williams, who stormed fifty metres to score underneath the posts.
Alice Denton-Rice converted and the scores were level. Henley, sensing the urgency to be ahead of half-time, had an attempt at the posts with a penalty that came not long after, but the kick was unsuccessful and the scores were level at half time.
Knowing that a third successive home victory was at stake, Abbey focussed their attention on the second half, switching up the styles of play. Alice Denton-Rice continued to hammer kicks down Henley’s throat, and Hannah Skeels and Bevan chased well to force penalties.
Before long, Abbey were in a prime position within Henley’s half. Joey Fowler continued to display a near-perfect lineout jumping performance, and the pack engineered a driving maul that sent Henley back twenty metres, much to the home supporters’ delight.
Firmly in the driving seat now, Abbey were eager to gain the lead for the first time all match, but as Henley’s discipline wavered, successive kicks to the corner and the subsequent driving mauls were ended by the Hawks; once Abbey were offside, and the second held-up. Henley could breathe again.
The match was turning into everything a derby day encounter should be; end to end action, huge tackles and breathtaking runs.
After a quiet first half, Abbey’s dynamic fullback Kelsea Montgomery enjoyed threatening the Henley half but it was in-form flanker Simpson who grabbed Abbey’s second after strong carries to the line from her back-row partners Tori Kiff and Fern Edgar. For the first time all match, Abbey were five points in front and felt like they had the upper hand in what had been a tense and exciting encounter.
In the final fifteen minutes, Henley were not about to accept defeat readily. Strong runs from Page, Ellie Smales and Moody continued to test Abbey’s defence, which held firm. Eventually, referee Meg Mason’s whistle blew and Ellie Denton-Rice had the pleasure of firing the ball into the crowd to tumultuous applause from the home fans.
This was the sixth meeting of the team in the Championship, and the first time in history that Abbey had been victorious over their local rivals, following a historic home win over Thurrock a few weeks ago. Abbey will now look to close out the season with their remaining three fixtures, starting this Sunday away to table-toppers Bath.
By Annette Tomas
