City sparkled at the outset working hard to contain Tai Po as they looked for their first win of the season, but it was the Dragons who roared louder with a comfortable 32-3 win.
Kicking deep, City looked to put Tai Po under some early pressure. A solid scrum on the Dragons’ 22 gives the Sparkle an attacking platform and they run the ball through several phases before Tai Po are penalised. A kick to the corner, offers City a 5m line-out but they can’t take advantage as Wong Wing Ying knocks the ball on as she looks to spread it wide. Hoi Yan Poon picks up and breaks through the City defence to ease the pressure on her team.
Tai Po are looking pretty passing the ball along their backline – but all the movement is sideways and City’s defence easily contains them. It takes almost 8 minutes for the Dragons to have their first foray into City’s half.
The Dragons kick deep, its too long though and bounces into touch for a Sparkle throw-in on their own 5m line. Tai Po steal the ball at the lineout and quickly spread it wide but Wai Kwan Li drops the pass with the try line gaping infront of her. Pressure is building on City and the Dragons get another chance but this time knock-on just short of the line.
The missed opportunities are quickly forgotten as a City clearing kick is beautifully caught, a couple of quick passes and Sau Yan Kwong scores under the posts, Poon converts and it’s 7-0 to Tai Po after 15 minutes.
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City look to reply, but strong tackling keeps them out. Poon goes for a risky intercept and allows the Sparkle a chance to regroup and attack again. The City forwards drive Tai Po back and earn a penalty infront of the posts. Agnes Tse calmly slots it home 7-3 after 28 minutes.
The Sparkles concentration slips as Tai Po respond quickly to earn a line-out deep in the Sparkle 22. Poon gives a nice stiff arm and she’s over in the corner to extend the Dragons lead 12-3 after 30 minutes.
Tai Po control City’s deep restart but they’re playing inside their own 22. City force a turnover, but can’t make it count on the scoreboard. Tai Po’s Wing Yi Vincci Leung makes a strong break spreads the ball wide and Oyinlola Kim Lee scores a well worked try in the corner on 35 minutes, 17-3.
The Dragons seize the restart and it’s Poon again making a strong jinking run down the far touch line. She can’t out run the covering defenders though and the off-load is knocked on as another scoring chance goes begging as the half time whistle blows.
Tai Po look to start the second half positively, but City steal the ball and push the Dragons back – their forwards grinding out the yards as they look for a way back into the match. Keeping it tight they drive for the posts sucking in the Tai Po defence before a spreading it wide to take advantage of the overlap – the pass is knocked on and the chance is gone. The Dragons win the scrum but their clearing kick is charged down and City get another chance.
Strong Dragons defence is keeping City, who are working and playing hard as a team but seem to lack the players (or confidence) with that little extra to turn a half chance into points, from scoring. Poon runs the ball clear and Tsz Ching Chan makes a strong run before City shut her down.
The game develops into a midfield battle with each side having opportunities, but handling errors and strong tackles prevent either side from scoring. A City fumble is scooped up by Ka Hei Kwok who dances her way through the Sparkle defence and she looks certain to score until tackled just short of the line. She off loads quickly and the ball reaches Poon who scores her second try of the game on 60 minutes, 22-0.
The Dragons are enjoying lots of possession but continue to makes handling errors when their is space to exploit. City would like a try for themselves and their supporters and work hard for it but also can’t exploit their chances. Tai Po look odds on to score again but a thumping tackle from Wai Ming Wong saves 5 points.
City are penalised at the resulting 5m scrum and Tai Po line-up for a training ground practiced set move. And it works perfectly as Wing Yi Vincci Leung powers in for the Dragons fifth try, 27-3 after 70 minutes.
Strong backline running, sets up no8 Tsz Ching Chan for a score as the clock winds down to full-time. Full time score 32-3. The Dragons coach while happy with the win is frustrated at his teams sloppy errors “We want to be challenging at the top of the table, those are our ambitions but it takes time. We made lots of handling errors today. But a good win”.
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City Sparkle
Sze Yu Fu, Tin Yee Cheung, Pui Yan Lam, Yu Ting ‘魚’ Wong, Wu Hsiao Ching, Pui Yin ‘Yauyau’ Yau, Kar Man Hilary Tse, Chun Yi Annie Ng, Tsz Wing Donis Fung, Agnes Tse, Mila Hiu Lam Pang, Yuk Yan Ng, Rumeng Aislin Wu, Hoi Ying Cheung, Tan Tung ‘Tanya’ Lo
Reserve: Ka Yan Shen, Lai Lai ‘Haydee’ Wong, Lok Yi Tsui, Man King Cheng, Sau Yan Lam, Shu Wan Au, Tsz Ying YoYo Lau
Penalty: Agnes Tse
Tai Po Dragons
Hoi Yan Lo, Ka Hei Kwok, Wing Yi Vincci Leung, Wing Chi Tang, Wai Kwan Wan, Yin Ting Hui, Tsz Ching Chan, Wing Ying Wong, Ching Wa Lo, Hoi Yan Poon, Oyinlola Kim Lee, Hiu Tung Chan, Kwan Yi Hau, Sau Yan Kwong
Reserve: Iris Lam, Sze Pui Chow, Ting Wai, Wai Kwan ‘Kwan’ Li, Tung Yan Chui, Wai Ming Wong, Lok Ting Chan.
Tries: Tsz Ching Chan, Sau Yan Kwong, Hoi Yan Poon (2), Oyinlola Kim Lee, Wing Yi Vincci Leung
Conversions: Hoi Yan Poon