Match Report | Orkney Dragons v Kirkcaldy Women 15-4-23

Women’s National Plate
Pickaquoy, Saturday 15 April
Orkney Dragons 45, Kirkcaldy Women 5

Orkney Dragons marked their final home game of the season with a convincing win over first-time visitors Kirkcaldy RFC at Pickaquoy on Saturday afternoon.

Photos: Orkney Photographic

This was also the final home game as captain for Donna Wilson, and she signed off in style by getting on the scoresheet with a great individual run for a try in the second half.

Kirkcaldy had travelled north with just 15 players, but were loaned experienced Dragon Jo Inkster as a replacement.
The visitors kicked off under blue skies and in still conditions, perfect for some open, running rugby.

Things were fairly even early on as the sides tested each other out, including in an early scrum. Kirkcaldy looked to have the bigger pack, but Orkney were contesting well, with Aleisha Womack, in her first start at scrum half for Orkney growing into the role as the game progressed.

She had an early carry, and then Nikita Scollie was on a burst as Orkney moved things up the pitch.

Kirkcaldy had a penalty and kicked for touch but Orkney gathered and a second lineout saw Orkney awarded a scrum, with No8 Stacey Tualasea coming away with the ball before Womack and then Grace MacGregor carried for the home side. As Orkney gained ground full-back Tiphaine Cazenave was almost through near the Kirkcaldy 22.

Anna Campbell and Cazenave were also being fed by Womack as Orkney retained ball and moved up the pitch. Then it was Tualasea and Scollie combining with a nice tap and go for Orkney’s first try, Scollie going over for the unconverted score approaching the quarter hour mark. Skye Taylor was next on the break for Orkney but was a bit exposed and Kirkcaldy had time to regather.

The visitors were up into the Orkney half and sensing an attacking chance with a penalty taking them into the Orkney 22, but as Orkney regained possession Scollie and Campbell had carries to take things out of the danger zone.

Back came Kirkcaldy though and the pressure paid off this time as stand-off Katelynn Ashford stuck a penalty into touch, where they retained ball at a scrappy lineout and made it to the Orkney line where loose head prop Jordyn Cooper went over. Ashford was unlucky to see her conversion come back off the post and the score stayed 5-5 on the half hour.

A lineout ball taken cleanly by Orkney was the trigger for the next score, with Aleisha Womack spotting a gap as Orkney came forward and running in under the posts for the first of her four tries of the afternoon, allowing Scollie a relatively straightforward conversion for a 12-5 lead approaching half time.

Kirkcaldy were back at Orkney though, with some great forward play, but even when the home side lost Vanessa Linton with a yellow card they were able to defend, regather and move up their own half.

A stoppage for an injury saw Kirkcaldy second row Becky O’Hagan-Tait have to leave the pitch, later heading to the Balfour for a check on her shoulder, but able to return to the club later with her arm in a support.

Orkney were on the attack as Ian Rushbrook brought the first half to a close.

As even as much of the first 40 minutes had been, the second half, punctuated by injury stoppages mainly for Kirkcaldy players, saw the sides eventually drop to 13 each as unfortunately Katelynn Ashford, arguably one of the visitors’ best players, and Mhairi Cockburn were forced to retire through head knocks.

It also saw Orkney ring the changes, with Nichola Milne, Catherine Green and Sandra Davey all seeing action.

Before all this though, and with Orkney still at full strength, a scrum saw Orkney’s backs on the move with great handling, captain Donna Wilson getting on the end of it to run in for a fine try behind the posts. Scollie’s conversion made it 19-5 after 50 minutes.
A great individual try from Aleisha Womack followed soon after as she showed a clean pair of heals to the chasing defenders and went over for a score that was converted again by Scollie - 26-5.

Womack’s hat-trick came through a great break inside the Kirkcaldy 22, Scollie kicking well again to extend Orkney’s lead to 33-5 going into the final quarter.

The sides were down to 13 players now, just before another Orkney try was created by a great break down the left by Anna Campbell, sending Womack in for her fourth try. Scollie’s boot was accurate again for a 40-5 lead.

Kirkcaldy rallied momentarily, but then Womack was on the break again and it looked like even a mid-run somersault wasn’t going to stop her scoring. She was halted though and it was a late unconverted try from Tualasea that rounded off the scoring for Orkney to win 45-5.

Forwards Queen of the team: Anna Campbell
Backs Queen of the team: Aleisha Womack
Opposition player: Aleisha Womack

Match Report: Robert Leslie