Falcons Academy chop down Oakmedians

This report starts with an apology! The Falcons Academy (FA) performance witnessed on Sunday at Oakmedians was outstanding; all 16 players who donned the 'black & white' delivered in abundance; if I do not mention any of the girls by name to acknowledge their contribution it is not that they did not do anything noteworthy - it is simply that there was SO much to admire that I cannot do all of it justice. So, "sorry" to any who are not named in person below.

After a narrow defeat at the hands of Trojans, priority number one from the visit to Oakmedians (Bournemouth) was to be heading back up the M3 with a victory in the bag. Arriving with 16 players - a mixture of injuries, prep for mocks (good luck with these!), drama productions impacted availability - the playing surface was, at best, tacky with the clubhouse side of the pitch almost boggy. It was sure to be attritional stuff with a full 70 minutes expected from the girls. It was terrific to see Freya C. back in the match day squad following her patient recovery from a shoulder injury - although not sure a trip to the seaside on route was necessary ;)

Playing into the wind during the 1st half, the FA got straight to work from the whistle. After two minutes, clearly feeling the benefit of a cheeky little Macky D's on her way to the ground, Mimi continued her try-scoring form following some well-constructed interplay - and they were off! However, Oakmedians response was robust and showed their attacking intent with several hefty carries which repelled with equally-aggressive defence - both teams set a level of physicality that would not relent.

Midway through the 1st half, an outstanding interchange on the right wing between Evie and Honor resulted in the latter dotting down to double the lead. Although neither of the first two tries were converted, Phoebe and Tegan clearly had their kicking boots on with both attempts beautifully struck. And yet, the home side came again - determined to reduce the deficit. Only a last-ditch try-saving tackle from Hattie kept the oppo out - in fact the back three of Honor, Bella and Mimi were able to balance their attacking threat with solid back-field defensive cover throughout. Similarly abrasive defensive work in the midfield saw Eva, Hattie and Evie leading the way as they racked up the tackles.

The resultant passage of play from Hattie's try-saver saw super handling from FA with a 'filthy' Finn Russell-esque flip out of the back by Autumn whilst being tackled - the net result was Mimi taking off like some sort of pond-skating bug over the puddles. The on-field celebrations saw every single member of the team share in the moment - a wonderful team try - duly added to by Tegan's pinpoint conversion.

Unfortunately, with 10 minutes or so remaining in the 1st half, Lice took a knock which saw her leave the field to be replaced by the returning Freya C. Up to that point Lice had been responsible for a number of telling tackles in the midfield to repel the home side - take the time to recover fully Lice.

The remainder of the 1st half belonged to Oakmedians and the try their hard-work merited came with two minutes left on the clock. A super 35 minutes from both sides - could they maintain it?

The answer was "no" . . . they proceeded to improve what was on show! Straight from the restart the home side upped their attacking intent - although the knock-on from the restart (not the only one FA didn't deal with effectively) is perhaps an area to be worked on. Domination in the scrum started to give FA a real upper-hand - Chelsey, Lucy and Ella creating the platform for power to come through. Impressive stuff.

After 44 minutes FA were awarded a penalty just inside the oppo 22. Not for the last time, Tegan went for a quick tap and go with Evie darting over. Bonus point secured, Phoebe added the extras. Two minutes later, that scrum domination allowed Isabella to pick up from the back and take herself to within metres from the line. Quickly recycled ball from the half-backs led to Autumn feeding Honor who notched up her 2nd try of the match. 29-5 was a handsome lead, but the girls were not going to relax.

With just under 15 minutes to go - bodies starting to ache - FA were awarded another penalty deep in oppo territory. Once again Tegan opted for the quick tap and go; once again the Oakmedians' try line was crossed - this time by Freya C. There was genuine delight among the team and on the touchline - reward for her staunch defensive efforts after coming on earlier in the match. Not wanting to be outdone by Mimi and Honor, Freya C snaffled her 2nd try and this one - although very different in construction - was on a par with Mimi's 2nd.

FA were awarded a scrum midway inside the oppo half. The pack had been reshuffled due to Ella coming off due to concern with her knee, but with Autumn at hooker, Lucy shifting to tight-head, Phoebe and Hattie in as flankers - Oakmedians' scrum was destroyed! Freya R tucked the ball under her arm and took off! Once again, quick ball resulted in Evie sending Freya C off on a run that still required her to evade some last ditch tackling. One or two expletives of joy and admiration may have been uttered on the touchline!

Our hosts, however, demonstrated precisely what this sport is about - even on the receiving end of a hefty defeat, they came again. Eventually their perseverance paid off as they crossed for their 2nd try. The final whistle brought an end to a game which resulted in a 39-10 win for the Falcons Academy. There was not a single failure in black and white.

Yes, there are aspects to focus on - receiving restarts; discipline at the breakdown (the referee was very patient and kept his cards tucked away - others may not display that same quality); not chirping at the referee once they have made a decision. However, these are points which can be addressed in the coming weeks. Fundamentally, the girls have got themselves into a position where a win in their final pool game (against Basingstoke) will secure at least 2nd spot. In the meantime - bodies can recover, parental heart rates can drop to 'normal' and Mimi's Macky D's ritual can become an integral part of the warm-up!