We played yesterday 8th March and lost 10 – 25 against old reds. However, really positive stuff to take away. Some very good defensive work and some good attacking breaks. Conditions were atrocious, as rain and hail bursts made the game and ball handling very difficult. Old reds are also 2 leagues above us if we were in the NC2 South league, so I think that’s an awesome effort to keep the score within 15 points.

Avon Ladies 44 v Wessex Ladies 33 Avon Ladies were at full strength for their first league fixture of the New Year. The day proved a tough battle with Prop Katie (Scouse) McCarthy crashing over to open the scoring. Avon pinned Wessex into their own half but quick handling and pace caught the home side napping allowing Wessex Centre three opportunities in quick succession to break the defence and run for the line unopposed. Stung, Avon made ground through their more powerful forwards and a scrum 8 meters out allowed quick action by Scrum Half Sophie Pace to scrabble down the blind side to score out wide. With a similar opportunity presented itself just before half time the action was completely different with Number 8, Bethan Howell crashing through the opposition to confirm the score at the break of 15 – 19. Howell added two further tries to her tally plus two conversions in the second half but Avon had it far from their own way with two break away tries by the Wessex number 4 both of which were converted. With the cores at 29 – 33 going into the last quarter the pressure was very much on the home team, however tries by Center Cara Evans and an opportunist first try for Bracken Thyer from a quick off-load from McCarthy closed the door on Wessex, a final try by Pace converted by Howell gave the home team a much needed win, 44 – 33, ready for their next home fixture on Sunday the 20th against Taunton.

Avon produced a far improved performance despite finishing 24-7 down away at Cullompton. Despite a tight battle in the midfield, Cullompton's greater experience took them to a 15-0 half time lead. Avon gained their feet in the second half with Zoë Dixon and Rebi leading from the front as Avon looked to turn a valiant defensive performance into attacking opportunities. Despite Cullompton stretching their lead with a further converted try Avon finally took their chance with Laura Waddleton, who was voted woman of the match by her fellow players. After relentless hounding of the oppositions scrumhalf throughout the match she forced her opposite number into a mistake at a 5 yard scrum and chased down and blocked a clearance kick for a well deserved and opportunist try. Bethan Howell in her second game as captain added the conversion. Despite the defeat Avon finished the game with a performance which showed improvement and with a solid foundation being set can look upon the season with a renewed optimism.

The opening home derby between Avon Ladies and Bath Ladies left Avon Coach Chris Coombe pondering the loss of ten players from the side of last season due to University and work commitments. The untried Avon sides determined defence was no match for the strength in depth of the opposition who ran in 14 tries to administer the heaviest defeat in Avon nine year history. Avon’s hard defensive work in the first half held the visitors to a 20 point advantage at the turn around and whilst the second half started strongly losing three players through injury within the opening ten minutes forcing Avon to play the remainder of the match with twelve players and uncontested scrimmage opening the floodgates of which Bath Ladies took full advantage. Clearly Avon have some rebuilding to do in this their tenth season as they travel to Southampton for next weeks fixture against Trojans.