Match Report: Loughborough Lightning 36-24 Leicester Tigers

It was Derby Day delight for Loughborough Lightning on a damp Saturday afternoon at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens as they ran out victors, 36-24, over East-Midlands rivals Leicester Tigers, writes Josh Green.

The African Violets had the bonus point in the bag by half-time, thanks to scores from Krissy Scurfield, Kendall Waudby, Emily Scarratt and Kathryn Treder. Two scores from Leicester through Meg Jones and Tahlia Brody cut the gap, but Lightning went in at the break ahead nine points up.

The conditions worsened in the second half with both sides sharing a try a piece. On debut, Alev Kelter scored for Lightning, with Katha Jacobs responding for Tigers but it was Nathan Smith’s side who claimed maximum points and saw out the game with a Helena Rowland penalty.

FIRST HALF

The away side had the better of the opening exchanges with ball in hand regularly inside Lightning’s half. That pressure brought the first points of the game as well as full back Tess Feury knocked over a penalty from in front of the posts.

It didn’t take long for Lightning to reply. A Scurfield turnover at ruck time on the half-way line set up an attacking opportunity. From there the African Violets began to build their attack inside the Tigers 22 and after a couple of phases of probing the line, it was Scurfield who found space to dive over in the left corner. Scarrat’s conversion drifted just wide, but Lightning had the lead.

That lead was lost five minutes later though as Red Roses’ star Jones picked off a pass on the halfway line to canter clear and under the posts. Feury added the extra points from the tee. 

But the helter-skelter start to the contest continued. Lightning again found themselves camped on the Tigers line, and Waudby barged over from a metre out. Scarratt this time dissected the posts to wrestle back the lead.

Tigers found themselves down to 14 players with seven minutes left to play of the first period when Charlotte Fray was shown a yellow card. Lightning couldn’t make them pay at the first time of asking. But from a clearance kick, the backline sprung into action. Helen Nelson received the high ball on the halfway line and passed inside to Scurfield. The winger’s dancing feet found her a yard of space before passing inside to Scarratt who showed a clean pair of heals, from 20 metres out to dive under the sticks. The England international converted her own score, opening a nine-point advantage.

Tigers fought back with a couple of minutes left of the half and closed the gap with Brody crashing over from close range after breaking off the back of a scrum to dot down. Feury added the extras to cut Lightning’s lead to two.

But Lightning restored their lead and had the try-scoring bonus point on the stroke of half time, as Treder dotted down off the back of a dominant driving maul. Scarratt converted to restore a nine-point advantage at the break to nine.

SECOND HALF

The third quarter was a scrappy affair in worsening conditions with neither side able to find a foothold in the game. But a moment of brilliance from Nelson as she kicked a superb 50:22 put Lightning in a great attacking position. From the resulting lineout, debutant Kelter ran a powerful line to break the defensive line and evade a further Leicester defender to score in the corner to the delight of the entire Loughborough team. Scarratt converted once again to put the hosts three scores ahead.

Leicester hit back with a try of their own in the dying embers of the game. Replacement Jacobs barged over from close range to cut the gap to nine points.

But Lightning hit straight back with a Rowland penalty from 35 metres out to extend their lead to 12 points.

And that is how the game would end, with Lightning getting back to winning ways in front of a strong home crowed at the Gardens. Next up for the African Violets, is a trip to the StoneX next weekend to face Saracens.

LINE-UPS:

LIGHTNING: Nelson (cc), Goldthorp, Scarratt, Kelter, Scurfield, Rowland, Davey; Young, Treder, Curphey, Duguid, Ives Campion, Taufoou, Waudby, Hibbert-Jones (cc).
Replacements: Martin, Williams, Adjei-Ansere, Winter, Boyd, Brebner-Holden, Morrall, Mataitoga.

TIGERS: Feury, Henrich, Jones, Wills, McGhie, Gallagher, Relf; Bartlett, Cokayne, Constable, Omokhale, Fray, Donaldson, McBrien (c), Brody.
Replacements: Simpson, Smith, Vincent, Jacobs, Heath, Maxwell, Jones, Childs.