Girl's rugby league: Haworth Park Girls Festival

Feb 17 2010 By Express and Chronicle

HUDDERSFIELD St Joseph’s Sharks Under 13 girls’ team travelled to Hull for their first games of the year.

Unfortunately, the festival age groups meant the girls had to split into Under 12a and Under 14s – the former teaming up with four players from Wakefield-based Outwood, some of whom were playing their first match.

Yet they dominated against a young Stanningley team.Good distribution from Lucy Walter enabled Amy Plowman to record five tries, while Beth Swift, Alys Senior and Dionne Webster all notched two.

The second game proved to be more of a test with the Sharks being on the wrong end of a 12-2 try scoreline against Castleford – Amy Plowman and Dionne Webster scoring.

The girls got back to winning ways in the third match against Haworth Park. Scores by Amy (3), Dionne (2) and Alys were added to by two from the Outwood players – the final scoreline being 8-5 to the Sharks.

The Girl of the Game award voted for by the parents went to Dionne Webster for her hard runs and strong defence.

Sharks Under 14s were joined by two Middleton and two Stanningley players against Haworth Park, who scored four tries, with St Joes new girl Jordanne Newsholme scoring a try in her first-ever game.

The odds were stacked against them as they faced an older Castleford outfit, but they battled well to restrict the score to 7-0.

But then Middleton and Stanningley players helped the St Joes to their only victory of the day, beating Keighley 4-1.

In their final game, they scored four tries, including two for Jenny Doughty and one for Lucy Eastwood, in the 4-5 defeat to Farnley.

Player of the Match was Jordanne Newsholme for strong running and awesome defence.

Under 14 Cup

Sharks 6 Moldgreen 36

The home side failed to remember the lessons learned from the last encounter, allowing the visitors’ star player to run the show.

The first half was a defensive disaster and it wasn’t until the last five minutes that they woke up and were already 24 points down.

The second half was better, with Sharks’ tackling improving considerably. Sharp passing and dogged determination from MOM Mohammed Awad unfortunately, was not rewarded with a try.

Top driver Sam Whitworth scored the Sharks’ only try of the game after some outstanding drives. Jakob Garside added the goal. Most improved Michael McGowan and Tom Swift were unlucky not to add to the score, both denied by good defence.

Under 16

Eastmoor Dragons 0 Sharks 28

Sharks travelled to Wakefield for what proved to be a hard encounter.

The home second rower proved to be a constant pain for them with his never-say-die attitude.

It seemed an age before Joes broke through with Callum Simms showing good support play, pace and power as the ball was moved out to the winger.

Not long after Nicholls showed his speed of hand with a bullet-like pass which found Sukky to power his way over – and it was 8-0.