Piranhas get their season back on track

The Piranhas made their home debut for the season and rounded off a great weekend for the senior section of the club by making it a clean sweep of victories, winning 24-10.

Following the previous weeks defeat at league favourites Old Reds, the Gordano squad included three debutants and several players playing their first game in a new position, including Sam Robinson who gamely agreed to start at fullback after a late withdrawal. The first ten minutes was all Gordano with plenty of attacking opportunities and the ball being moved well through the half backs, but the Devizes defence was strong and well organised. After ten minutes a collapsed scrum led to second row Tash Bradley suffering a shoulder injury and thanks must go to the Devizes supporter who looked after her on the side lines. This was representative of the friendly spirit the game was played in. Devizes started to make their own attacks and the Pirhanas organisation in defence was much improved from the previous week, stopping them before the gain line and turning over ball regularly. After 25 minutes some third phase ball on the Devizes 22 led to Leanne Ball and Kate Abbott creating an overlap which Jo O’Callaghan was on the end of as she went over to score on the left wing.

Devizes came back strongly and from a Gordano 22 drop out the Devizes athletic blindside flanker beat two players on half way and sprinted in to score near the posts. While Gordano received some ‘motivational’ words from their coach regarding their defensive effort needing to match their offensive work rate, the kick was missed making it 5-5 at half time.

The team showed their growing understanding of the game during the half time team talk when they identified the key issues that needed to be addressed in the second half; more focus on organisation and line speed in defence, greater depth in attack, and movement after contact at the tackle.

Seven minutes into the second half Gordano got their reward when Tracey Rollings turned over the ball at a tackle and slipped it to Lucy Hope who spotted the gap on the blindside and sprinted away, the ball was quickly recycled and passed to Kate Abbott who beat a couple of players and stretched out an arm to score under the posts which was converted by Beth Hawke to make it 12-5.

The much improved defence kept Devizes at bay, and it was defence that led to the third Gordano try. Pressure by strong running debutant centre Vicki Tapley led to a dropped ball on half way and after a kick through and continued pressure, skipper Lucy Hope was first to the ball to score on the right to make it 17-5.

Lucy Walker came on to the left wing for her first game and from her own half started the early favourite for try of the season when after being caught in possession, she took two defenders forward ten metres before offloading. The ball then went through a dozen pairs of hands as forwards and backs intertwined including one fantastic piece of handling by second row Lucia Gaetani to eventually end up with prop Kath Fitzpatrick who from 5 metres out went through three defenders to score on the right. The conversion by Beth made it 24-5 with 20 minutes to go.

Gordano put together some good play and never looked like losing, but the teams cancelled each other out with committed defending, until sustained pressure on the Gordano line led to Devizes scoring the final try of the game which ended 24-10.

Lucy Hope nominated several deserving players for man of the match however she was overruled by the coach and it went to Lucy herself for an outstanding performance in three different positions.