VAGABONDS women’s side beat Northwich 24-10 at Ballafletcher to go five points clear at the top of Women’s NC North One in the process.
The host side took the lead 10 minutes in, after some good early pressure, when Sorrelle Williams crashed home under the posts. Corinna Daly added the conversion and gave her side an early 7-0 lead.
Northwich were undaunted and their powerful scrummage almost pulled one back, but Kellie Hallam was hauled down just short of the Vagas line and the danger was cleared.
Quarter of an hour later, Vagabonds were in again. Williams and Tara Jackson combined in midfield and engineered an opening for comeback girl Fran Hunt. She blasted through the gap and romped home from 20 metres out to make it 12-0.
Northwich were far from beaten at this stage though and once again it was their forwards who made the hard yards. A driving lineout five metres from the Vagas line gave them good clean possession.
When the ball was spun right, fullback Hannah Tunnicliffe was the extra body in the backline and she eased around the Vagabonds defence to leave the game balanced 12-5 at half-time.
In the second half, Vagabonds took charge. Daly almost made it across the line, but from her drive, Vagas earned a penalty which Rachel Beckley quickly tapped and stepped over the line unchallenged from close range. Daly added the extras and Vagas were looking safe at 19-5.
Abbie Corkish made sure of the win 10 minutes from the end with a 40-metre solo effort that put the game beyond Northwich’s reach at 24-5 and clinched a bonus point in the process.
Northwich, to their credit, didn’t give up and picked up a try from second row Rachel Phillips who dived in from close range to make it 24-12 and leave her side needing a converted try for a losing bonus point.
When Rachel Beckley was sinbinned near the end, Northwich had a glimmer of hope but were unable to get the crucial score.