In a game dominated for long periods by City Sparkle, HKFC Ice had that little bit extra to beat a determined City Sparkle 31-12 under the lights of the Hong Kong Football Club.
It was all City for the first 30 minutes, the Sparkle spending all bar a few moments of it camped inside the Ice 22. HKFC creaked and groaned, bent and buckled and such was the pressure that Martha Webber received a yellow card after just 8 minutes.
Twice City thought they’d scored, but the ball was held up and the Sparkle couldn’t ignite anything from the resulting scrums. Sport can fickle and with their miniscule amount of possession Ice recycled the ball inside their own 22 worked it wide to an overlapping Bernadette Bray and the fullback was away sprinting 70m to score under the posts massively against the run of play. Rachel Fong converted 7-0 after 16 minutes.
The Sparkle resumed their assault on the Ice line looking for an instant reply with Hoi Ying Cheung making a lovely run down the wing. Only to be tackled into touch inches from the line.
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HKFC finally start to enjoy some possession as the half draws to a close and string a few phases of play together working the ball back and forth across the pitch. City stand firm, but a smart piece of play sees Jaime Yuen Wing Ho loop around outside her winger to create the overlap and she scores in the corner, 12-0 after 37 minutes.
City send the kick-off deep and Ice spread the ball left only to meet a solid Sparkle tackle, a quick recycle and swift hands along the line and Webber is away and she outruns a despairing defence to score under the posts. Fong’s conversion brings the half to a close with HKFC Ice leading 19-0 and City wondering how exactly how they’re down three tries after playing well and dominating for most of the first period.
After some strong words at half-time HKFC look to start the second half on the front foot. City’s defence though stands firm, but as they look to clear Ice steal the ball and Mavis almost scores but she can’t offload and the chance goes begging. The Sparkle are spending a lot of time defending and are unable to get out of their own 22 and relieve the pressure. Ice working hard, looking for a fourth try.
A deep City clearing kick looks to give HKFC another attacking oppourtunity but having drawn in the Sparkle defence the Ice backline looks to take advantage of a three on one overlap only for a crunching tackle from Tsz Wing Donis Fung to shut down the attack.
Ice overthrow a lineout and City string some attacking phases together as they look for a way back into the match. A long pass gives Mila Hiu Lam Pang a chance to run but strong backline defence from Ice keeps her out. A City scrum on the HKFC 22 holds and Agnes Tse breaks three tackles to score under the posts, and then she converts her own try, 19-7 after 62 minutes.
From the resulting kick-off Ice recover the ball and launch a sweeping attack keeping the ball through multiple phases of play, City are tiring but still tackling hard. Ice recycle well and spread the ball wide for Shonagh Ryan to sprint down the line and score, 24-7.
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Webber looks to pile on the pressure as she powers her way through several tackles but City finally haul her down and launch an attack of their own only for a fine tackle by Pang to deny City a second score. Sparkle recycle the ball and work it wide where Hoi Ying Cheung scores in the corner on 73 minutes, 24-12.
City kick off deep looking to score again quickly and give HKFC a nervous last few minutes. Ice knock on, but City can’t take advantage. It’s Football Club though who have the final word as Heidi Johnson breaks three Sparkle tackles and spreads the ball wide to Crystal Wray who finishes off a flowing move in style, Helen Lee converts, 31-12 after 79 minutes. And Ice almost add another but Shu Wan Au’s fine tackle keeps the final score at 31-12.
City Sparkle
符詩宇 Fu Sze Yu, 張天兒 Cheung Tin Yee, 林珮恩 Lam Pui Yan, 李綺芯 Lee Yee Sum, 吳筱菁 Wu Hsiao Ching, 謝嘉汶 Tse Kar Man Hilary, 丘佩燕 Yau Pui Yin, 吳雋怡 Ng Chun Yi Annie, 馮子穎 Fung Tsz Wing, 謝詠翹 Tse Wing Kiu, 盧丹彤 Lo Tan Tung, 吳育欣 Ng Yuk Yan, 吳汝夢 Wu Rumeng, 張凱瑩 Cheung Hoi Ying, 彭曉藍 Pang Hiu Lam Mila, 徐樂怡 Tsui Lok Yi
Reserve: 王麗麗 Wong Lai Lai, 黃愉廷 Wong Yu Ting, 林秀茵 Lam Sau Yan, 劉芷瑩 Lau Tsz Ying, 區舒韻 Au Shu Wan, 黃嘉程 Wong Ka Ching
Tries: Agnes Tse, Hoi Ying Cheung
Conversion: Agnes Tse
HKFC Ice
Cheryl Gourley, Fion Got, Megan Richardson, Claire Forster, Tsz Ying Tam, Sophie Short, Martha Webber, Bobby Wilson, Kimberly Yuen Ki Wrixon, Rachel Fong, Crystal Wray, Rachel Crothers, Jaime Yuen Wing Ho, Sheung Yee Siu, Bernadette Bray
Reserve: Angelina Cheung, Denise Chan, Shonagh Ryan, Heidi Johnson, Helen Lee, Jordan Rear, Stephanie Heathcote, Zuzanna Osinska
Tries: Bernadette Bray, Jaime Yuen Wing Ho, Crystal Wray, Shonagh Ryan, Martha Webber
Conversions: Rachel Fong (2), Helen Lee
香港足球會(港會)使出渾身解數,以31比12打敗佔上風的康維他城市星光隊(城市欖球會)。
開始30分鐘,城市欖球會儘佔上風,多徘徊於港會的22米先內。港會努力防守,最後Martha Webber在八分鐘時拿了第一個黃牌。
城市欖球會有兩次達陣的機會,但都被港會扭轉逆勢。Bernadette Bray做了一個遠傳球,再由後 衛直衝70米達陣,Rachel Fong踢入。賽事16分鐘,成績7比0。
張凱瑩在邊線衝出,可惜被港會在最後階段攔截到,再把球踢出,解決困局。
上半場完場前五分鐘,港會發動攻勢,攻至城市欖球會的22米線。城市欖球會防守嚴密,但Ho Yueng Wing Jaime看到一個在邊線的入球機會,繞過邊鋒,在角落達陣,成績變成12比0。
城市欖球會以快攻把球踢出,港會持球進攻可惜遇到攔截,但Martha Webber把球搶回再達陣,上 半場完場成績19比0。港會只用了十分逆轉劣勢。
在半場時,.港會教練明顯給了一些戰術,。下半場開場時,港會先發制人,積極進攻。雖然城市欖 球會有一個達陣機會,可惜Mavis不能及時把球傳出,機會錯失。比賽都徘徊在城市欖球會的22米內,港會的第四個入球應不遠了。
城市欖球會把球大腳踢出,給了港會另一機會進攻,但被馮子穎漂亮的攔截到。城市欖球會信心大增,在港會12米爭球時,謝詠翹持球衝過三個攔截達陣,成為城市欖球會的第一個入球,19比7。
港會反擊,打遠傳戰,利用球場的外圍空間。經過多次攔截和爭球後,港會把球遠傳給Shonagh Ryan,輕易達陣24比7。Martha Webber乘勝追擊,但最終被城市欖球會攔截到。再用同樣戰術,把球遠傳,Cheung Hoi Ying入球。70三分鐘, 24比12。
比賽變得緊張,港會加緊防守。最後由Heidi Johnson衝過三個攔截再把球遠傳至Crystal Wray達陣,Helen Lee踢入, 31比12。本來港會可以再加一球,可惜給區舒韻漂亮的攔截到,總成績31比12。