Manchester Swinton Lionesses fought hard to retain the Women’s Challenge Shield in a narrow 18-10 victory over the Warrington Wolves in the final.
Defences dominated the opening exchanges of the game as the Lionesses struggled to break out of their own half and launch decent attacks.
Sustained pressure by the Wolves had them camped on the Lionesses’ line, but superb tackling kept them at bay.
The Wolves went close to opening the scoring after eight minutes when they moved the ball out to Evie Williams, but a superb covering tackle by Grace Pritchard sent her into touch.
Back-to-back penalties relieved the pressure and gave the Lionesses good field position.
From that platform, Georgia Briggs drove up the pitch before Abbie Singleton and Tamika Bull moved the ball out to Grace Arrowsmith, who cut back inside to open the scoring after 12 minutes; Eve Ashcroft was unable to convert.
The Lionesses extended their lead from the restart, as Bull put up a high ball on the last tackle; static Warrington defending allowed the ball to bounce towards the touchline, where Pritchard beat Hollie Gregory to the ball to score under the posts. Eve Ashcroft converted to establish a commanding 10-0 lead after 16 minutes.
But the final was not one-way traffic, and after pressure on the Lionesses’ line resulted in a Wolves penalty, they moved the ball across the field to Evie Williams, who scored in the corner to cut the deficit after 27 minutes.
Bouyed by Williams’ try, Warrington drew level six minutes before the break when slick passing released Kaitlin Hilton to score and Michelle Davis added the extras.
While John Whalley’s side ended the half on the front foot as Hollie Gregory knocked on Bull’s probing high kick, the half came to an end with the scores level at 10-10.
But his side started the second period with a dominant spell in the Warrington half. Runs by Charlotte Hill and Emma Welsford got the Lionesses close to the Warrington line before quick hands by Tamika Bull, Maddie Higson and Kerrie Evans got the ball out to Chloe Newbigging, who was tackled short of the line.
The second half was eight minutes old before Warrington got the ball into the Lionesses’ half of the field.
The Lionesses continued to probe for a breakthrough and went close when Bull broke through the Wolves defence before Georgia Briggs was tackled short of the line and Singleton went over from dummy half but was held up.
But Warrington’s reprieve was to be short-lived as, from the restart, Bull, Welsford and Leila D’Symondsshifted the ball across to Grace Arrowsmith, who sent Pritchard in at the corner; the conversion was missed.
Warrington swept aside Workington Town 48-0 in their semi-final and made Manchester Swinton Lionesses work hard for their victory.
The Wolves managed to put some pressure on the Lionesses’ line and forced a knock-on before Ellie Dooney crashed over the line, but good defence by the Lionesses held her up.
The ball was then moved across to Teneisha Fairbrother, but superb defence by Kerrie Evans and Newbigging kept her out.
A barnstorming run by Shannon Stephens was halted by three Lioness defenders as the Swinton-based side stood up to an onslaught of pressure.
Grace Arrowsmith was sin-binned for a foul on Hollie Brussels as Warrington were given a boost in their search for parity.
But this did not phase the outstanding Lionesses as they continued to attack the Wolves line and etched their name on the trophy with a late 76th-minute try.
Runs by Yasmin Parton Sotomayor, Amber Harmon and Eleanor Atherton allowed player of the match Bull to put a kick into the in-goal.
She chased her own kick and forced Hollie Gregory to kick the ball dead. From the drop-out, a slick move involving Welsford, Bull and Evans released Pritchard in at the corner to seal victory.
While Bull was unable to add the extras, her involvement in the final try helped Manchester Swinton Lionesses defend their Women’s Challenge Shield crown.
Match report provided by Alan Dixon, photos by MKS Photography.
