Saints Women avenged their cup defeat to Leeds Rhinos Women with a dominant second half performance, coming from a first half deficit to win in Yorkshire.
It took Saints just two minutes to take the lead, skipper Jodie Cunningham saw a gap from dummy half and pounced to give the Saints an early lead. Faye Gaskin’s conversion from the right touchline was sliced wide.
Leeds responded on the 9th minute, Leah Burke knocked on in front of her own sticks, Shannon Lacey powered over from close range from the resulting set to level the scores. Courtney Hill converted from in front of the sticks.
Saints then re-took the lead in the 16th minute. An overlap on the right-hand side allowed Emily Rudge to throw a cut-out pass for Leah Burke to dive over in the left-hand corner. Gaskin’s conversion from the left touchline sneaked over the sticks to give Saints a 10-6 lead.
The Rhinos then levelled the scores eleven minutes before the break, from a scrum on the Saints 10 metre line. Courtney Hill dummied her way through the redvee’s defence and Hill converted her own try to regain the Rhinos lead.
Saints hit back though two minutes into the second half. Chantelle Crowl chased down her own kick to pass to Gaskin, who scored under the sticks. She converted her own try to make it 16-12 to the Saints.
It was Crowl herself who added Saints’ fourth try of the game, running hard from close range after a quick pass out of dummy half. Gaskin added the extra two points to give the Saints a ten-point lead. She then added a penalty 15 minutes from full-time, to give Saints a 12 point lead.
Five minutes from time, Saints added another try. Crowl once again ran a good line to force her way over from close range. Gaskin converted to increase the visitors’ lead to 18 points.
Leeds did pull one back in the last few seconds, Hill adding her second after exploiting a gap in the Saints defence. She hit the post with the conversion, but it was Saints who ran out winners by 30 points to 16 to gain revenge over in Yorkshire.
Leeds Women: Caitlin Beevers, Fran Goldthorp, Chloe Kerrigan, Sophie Robinson, Sophie Nuttall, Hanna Butcher, Courtney Hill, Danielle Anderson, Keara Bennett, Amy Johnson, Elle Frain, Aimee Staveley, Shannon Lacey
Subs: Danika Priim, Tasha Gaines, Ness Harriman, Paige Webster.
Tries: Lacey, Hill (2)
Goals: Hill (2 from 3)
Saints Women: Rebecca Rotherham, Rebecca Avenall, Naomi Williams, Rhianna Burke, Leah Burke, Zoe Harris, Faye Gaskin, Vicky Whitfield, Jodie Cunningham, Sarah Lovejoy, Pip Birchall, Emily Rudge, Chantelle Crowl
Subs: Darcy Stott, Lizzie Gladman, Tara Jones, Claire Mullaney
Tries: Cunningham, L.Burke, Gaskin, Crowl (2)
Goals: Gaskin (4 from 5)
Penalties: Gaskin (1 from 1)
