Henley Hawks Women 27–29 Trojans Women
By Lisa Tavinor
In a critical league clash at Dry Leas, Henley Hawks Women delivered one of their most spirited performances of the season, ultimately falling just short in a 29–27 thriller against Trojans.
Forced into a reshuffle, with several players stepping up to play out of position, Henley showed outstanding unity and adaptability from the outset. The cohesion and work rate across the squad were evident throughout, with players embracing unfamiliar roles and putting the team first in a must-win encounter.
In the first half, it was the home team that first started ticking the scoreboard over with Nina Poletti powering her way through Trojan's defensive line for an unconverted try. Trojans capitalised on width and pace, stretching the Henley defence to score two well-worked tries out wide. Their ability to move the ball quickly to the wing created space, and despite committed cover tackles, the visitors took their chances clinically. Even so, Henley remained firmly in the contest through determined carrying, defensive resilience and periods of sustained pressure. This was rewarded with a fantastic try from Herminie Titcombe, who received a great offload from Gen Moody, and Faye Stratford with the conversion. Trojans were the team to score just before halftime, making it 12-19 going into the break.
After a well drilled Trojans lineout, one of their forwards crashed over the try line, taking the score to 12-24; however, the Hawks refused to let the game drift away. A powerful attacking sequence saw Gianna Noble-Cunningham cross the whitewash after slick handling close to the line. The conversion attempt struck the upright, leaving the score at 17–24 and setting up a tense final quarter. Trojans responded quickly with an unconverted try to extend their lead to 17-29 just past the hour mark. Yet again, Henley’s character shone through. Gianna produced a stunning solo effort, intercepting from a tapped penalty and racing the length of the field to score, reigniting belief across the ground.
Reduced temporarily to 14 players following a yellow card, Henley dug deep. The defensive effort was immense, key turnovers were won, and the forwards worked tirelessly to halt the Trojans’ momentum. As the clock ticked down, Henley mounted one final assault inside the Trojans 22. After patient, powerful phases from the pack and a quick tap five metres out, Nina forced her way over to bring the score to 27–29. The conversion, struck bravely into the wind, fell narrowly short. There was still time for one last push, and Henley threw everything into the closing exchanges, battling for every metre. Ultimately, the final whistle came with the Hawks just two points adrift.
Despite the result, this was a performance defined by togetherness, adaptability and heart. With players stepping into unfamiliar positions and the squad pulling together in a high-pressure fixture, Henley demonstrated the depth of character within the team.
