MATCH REPORT | Saracens Women 33-20 Trailfinders Women (PWR Up Rd 3)
Saracens Women secured a comeback win as they overturned a deficit for the second weekend in a row, this time at home, to secure victory over Trailfinders Women.
In front of the home faithful for the first time this season, it was a familiar face on the visiting side who opened the scoring, as former Saracen Emma Taylor slotted an early penalty to give Trailfinders the lead.
Sarries hit back though, with a beautiful flowing backs move that saw the ball worked wonderfully through the hands for Isla Alejandro to go over for her second try in as many games.
The match was ebbing and flowing in the opening minutes and the visitors hit straight back, with Ella Amory going crossfield to Vicky Laflin, who collected and fed Rosie Inman on her inside to dot down to regain the lead for her side.
Sarries were falling foul of the referee’s whistle at the breakdown, allowing the visitors to work their way into attacking territory.
Despite some huge maul defence from the Sarries pack, they were unable to withstand the barrage from Trailfinders, with Abi Burton going over to extend the lead for her side.
Sarries were continuing to have to defend with everything they had, with Alejandro putting in a textbook tackle out wide to stop the visitors from breaking free again, as Alex Austerberry’s side looked to withstand the pressure.
With time ticking away towards the end of the first period, Sarries began their fightback, as an intricate lineout move saw May Campbell crash over, with Amelia MacDougall adding the extras to narrow the gap.
Last weekend against Quins, Sarries started the second period at a rate of knots and they did so again here, drawing a penalty and going to the corner, allowing Bryony Field to bundle over from the back of the driving maul to give her side the lead.
MacDougall’s conversion increased the lead, before Poppy Cleall showed all of her world-class ability with a stunning break through the middle of the Trailfinders defence to sprint clear for her side’s fourth try!
Cleall had been at her impactful best all afternoon, as she continued to drive her side forwards.
Jemma-Jo Linkins took over kicking duties but again, she made no mistake to increase the lead for her side.
As the game entered into its final 20 minutes, Trailfinders looked to launch an attack to haul themselves back into the contest.
With pressure mounting, Emma Hardy popped up with a crucial turnover for her side on her first home start, to relieve the pressure.
Trailfinders kept coming though, as Rosie Inman was denied by a superb covering tackle, before the Sarries backs turned on the style, with a superb flowing move to secure crucial field position.
With a penalty awarded to Sarries, Bryony Cleall took matters into her own hands for the second week in a row, with a quick-tap penalty to dive over and end the game as a contest.
Trailfinders weren’t done yet either though, and they grabbed a third try at the end of the contest, with Jess Cooksey going over out wide.
It was too late to launch a comeback of their own though, as Sarries held out to secure a second PWR Up pre-season victory, heading into the start of the Premiership Women’s Rugby campaign in two weeks’ time against the same opponents.
