Sun 7 Oct 2018, 14:30
The impressive Hayley Hopkins racked up six tries in Newton Abbot Ladies dominant show against Yeovil, who arrived at Rackerhayes winless and at the bottom of the table.
The home side’s fleet footed full-back scored her first try in the second minute and added three more before the break, before racking up a couple more in the second half.
However, it wasn’t only the Hopkins show as there was a good all-round performance with the back-row trio particularly dominant throughout.
The opening try came from a switch move from the back of a midfield scrum and Hopkins grabbed her second when she capitalised on a breakdown of a Yeovil counter-attack to run in from half-way.
Forward pressure led to the next score; No. 8 Clare Hooper broke from the back of a 5-metre scrum to send scrum-half Jess Veacock in for a corner try.
Yeovil then put pressure on Newton’s line but the home side defended well and forced a turnover. Newton won a scrum under their posts and Hopkins raced the length of the pitch for a try converted by Amparo Medina Faus for a 22-nil lead on the half hour mark. Hopkins fourth try from quality scrum ball put her side 27 points up at the break.
Newton had to work harder in the second half before the tries started to flow. Inevitably it was Hopkins who was on the money again, this time finishing off a well worked three-quarter move.
The next try was down to the forwards; a Yeovil defensive scrum was disrupted and the Newton flankers did the rest. Sophie Gunning made the ball her own before putting Laura Waddleton in for a Medina Faus converted try.
Yeovil hit back with a consolation try when replacement winger Tia Shrimpton showed good pace to score under the posts. Alice Carding , who had missed an earlier penalty, added the extras.
Replacement centre Ellie Dyke – who had come close to scoring previously – got over the line with a second attempt before Hopkins concluded her double hat-trick.
This comprehensive victory for Newton’s Ladies moved them up into second at the expense of Old Oakmedians, who failed to raise a side to travel to leaders St Mary’s Old Boys. Unbeaten Newton (two wins and a draw) are at Bournemouth based Old Oakmedians on Sunday.
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