Causeway Bay Phoenix showed why they are top of the Women’s National League 1 this weekend, showcasing their exceptional counter-attacking to break down a spirited Leighton Asia HKCC Babes.
Holding home ground advantage at Causeway Bay Sports Ground, CWB (to give them their full title, SCC Children’s Cancer Foundation CWB Phoenix) kicked off into the bright sunlight, soon surrendering territory that they were not to make up for the first 20 minutes. HKCC pressed hard, but were unable to find the necessary attacking width and squandered several golden opportunities through failing to protect the ball. Carolyn Champion, Babes number 8, became the first of two players to be flummoxed by the white soccer lines painted onto the pitch – carrying three defenders with her to touch down, only to discover that the actual try line was an agonising three yards away. Close, but no cigar.
CWB took full advantage of the reprieve, sprinting clear in the aftermath to run in an 80 yard breakaway try that was duly converted. Five minutes later, they almost executed a repeat, excellent defensive coverage from Wendy Sham holding up play long enough for support to arrive. But before the half was over, HKCC had lost another breakaway try, lost three players off the pitch injured, and were down to 14 owing to an ill-judged high tackle from flanker Rosie Wright. The turnover in players was equalled by turnovers on the field, HKCC frivolous in possession and CWB extremely quick to take advantage with the counter-ruck.
HKCC weathered their period of disadvantage, but didn’t truly look like scoring as a number of players adjusted to unfamiliar positions to cover for injuries. Fly half and birthday girl Julia Mason came back on to try to inject stability into the backline play, but HKCC still struggled to establish an attacking platform, unable to generate forward momentum in the final 15 yards. CWB turned the screw with fifteen minutes to go, pressing advantage with three quickly taken penalties and exploiting an overlap in the left corner. A fourth try was even initially awarded, only for both players and referee to soon realise they’d been foiled by the phantom try line, again.
HKCC kept up the intensity, Rosie Wright in particular earning redemption for her earlier sin-binning with high energy tackling and running that saw her named Player of the Game. The fighting spirit was epitomised in the final play of the game – Julia Mason opting to keep the ball in play rather than kick out and end the game, despite, by that stage, the inevitability of a loss. But in the end, CWB came away well-deserved winners – executing the basics well, and exploiting the Babes’ errors ruthlessly. HKCC were left to rue missed opportunities, and an ever lengthening injury list.
