READING Abbey Ladies’ Championship South West Two title hopes received a massive boost last week as they earned a 31-12 victory at home to Cullompton, writes Fiona Tomas.

Annette Tomas cancelled out an early try from the visitors, who looked the superior side in the opening quarter after crossing the whitewash first.

Alice Denton grabbed a brace either side of half time with Molly Wells also getting on the scoresheet in a much improved second period for the Nuns.

A Hayley Matthews try sealed the bonus point for Abbey, who now sit third in the table, a point behind Newbury Blues and Guildford Gazelles with a game in hand.

But it was far from a straightforward opening half for Jack Reynolds’ side, who were made to work inside a scrappy first quarter after going a try down as the visitors’ inside centre crashed over after sustained pressure in Abbey’s half.

However, the hosts, after an uncharacteristic sloppy start, upped the tempo through a surged of positive play inspired by the forwards Jess Potter and Claire Stevens.

Annabel Hawkins also proved influential, making several strong carries and inspired periods of fast flowing rugby.

It was Meg Watts who fed fly half Tomas for Abbey’s first, with Denton – who enjoyed a solid afternoon from the tee – adding the extras, before snatching a try of her own after a trademark storming run up the wing.

The second half saw an improved Abbey display, as scrum half Ellie Rice commanded her forwards well with energy and enthusiasm, which paid off when replacement prop Wells drove over for her side’s third.

Denton grabbed her second after excellent play in the backs with wings Lou Burgham and Matthews combining well to release her to run in underneath the posts unchallenged.

Abbey were now hunting for the bonus point and strong carries from the Fowler duo, Meaghan and captain Joey, ensured anther good field position from which to attack.

And for Abbey’s fourth, second row Harriet Driver executed a well-timed pass to Tomas who found Matthews on a short line which saw her touchdown underneath the uprights.

With the bonus point now secure, Reynolds handed valuable game time to his bench, but it was Cullompton who had the final say of the afternoon.

Successive Abbey penalties afforded the visitors a comfortable position in Abbey’s 22 and a series of excellent carries from their pack finally released their dangerous full back, who both crossed the line and converted her own score.

It was the blemish on an otherwise perfectly executed second half which reignited Abbey’s title hopes.

  • AN error-strewn Reading Abbey performance, hampered by late changes to the lineup, saw the Rosehill outfit slip to an ungainly 52-12 Southern Counties North defeat at High Wycombe as they remain in the search of a first win under new head coach, Luke Harding.

Three quick tries in succession from the the home side gifted them early advantage and, although Abbey did well to close the gap to just 16 points at one stage, a strong and assured finish by the hosts secured them a dominant win.

High Wycombe took advantage of Abbey’s hesitance to tackle early on, with two tries within minutes of each other, after handling errors at the back of Abbey’s own scrum gifted them attacking opportunities.

The hosts added a third try before the break, and then secured their bonus point early in the second half.

Abbey responded well through an excellent run from Jules Greenaway, who was denied metres short from a well-timed tackle, but they deservedly got on the scoresheet moments later when Mike Beckly peeled off a much-improved scrum to find Will Bevan, who kicked and chased upfield with George House in pursuit.

The ball found Chris Shaw, who chalked up Abbey’s first points of the match.

Soon after, Bevan was instrumental yet again in his side’s second try as he made another superb break, finding Ed house who slid in despite a late challenge from High Wycombe. Diego de Marcilla Bahlsen, having missed the first conversion, made no mistake wit the second and Abbey were in sniffing distance of a bonus point.

It was, however, to be the end of any more attacking rugby, as High Wycombe responded well to ensure a further four tries as the home side capitalised on injuries to Shaw and the side-lining of Ed House as he was shown yellow for a late hit, combined with an increasingly fatiguing Abbey.

Abbey have a week off before the Reading derby at Rosehill on Saturday, March 3.