After a few weeks without a game, our ladies' team had their second Saturday fixture of the year against Vagabonds Ladies. Despite the less-than-ideal weather conditions in the days leading up to the match, the game day was surprisingly sunny with occasional gusts of wind.

Following a 70-0 defeat on our visit to the Isle of Man in November, the theme for the weeks leading up to the rematch was redemption. A victory against Littleborough earlier in January provided a significant morale boost, which contributed to productive training sessions in between.

The game commenced at a rapid pace, with Bury dominating collisions and effectively neutralising Vagabonds’ strong runners. Both teams came close to scoring within the first 20 minutes; however, due to valiant defensive line pressure, the score remained nil.

Through outstanding individual and team efforts, we managed to break the deadlock but promptly conceded from a breakaway try through the centre of the pitch. The subsequent 20 minutes saw Bury gaining confidence, bolstered by fierce carries from the forwards, which allowed the backs to exploit gaps in the opposition's defensive line.

Being two tries ahead instilled a great deal of confidence in the team, though it also led to several mistakes. Vagabonds capitalised on this with two tries within the last ten minutes of the game. We were able to secure the win with two converted penalty kicks, establishing a buffer between us and the opposition.

Unfortunately, one of the Vagabonds players sustained a neck injury with twenty seconds remaining, prompting the referee to blow the final whistle.

Players of the match: Caitlin Rodgers, Macy Norton and Maddie Grierson

Head Coach Max Massey shared his thoughts: “Our team has faced numerous challenges this year, experiencing many lows early on. However, we are now beginning to demonstrate our potential. I am confident that we can finish this season on a high note. Despite being a young and relatively new side, we are competing well against more experienced teams.”