Thurrock T-Birds 22, Henley 19

AFTER their mauling at Richmond, T-Birds returned to winning ways in the Championship South with a narrow victory at Oakfield, completing a season's double against Henley on Sunday, 25 January.

When Hawks entertained the T-bird in October, the visitors were comfortable winners, but the margins were much closer this time out.

The hosts took the lead around nine minutes in when, after a series of short drives, Elsie Burns picked the ball up and dived over from close range.  Her attempt to add two extras fell just short.

It took Hawks ten minutes to draw level, Genevieve Moody having the final say as the ball was spun along the line and touching down besides the posts. The conversion was well struck by Unaisi Bulivuata to give Henley the lead.

The lead changed hands again with a try for T-Birds that was not dissimilar to Hawks, Elena Richardson being the home player to dive over at the end of a move. The conversion was missed and there were no further scores before half time.

It didn't take T-Birds long to score after the resumption. Just five minutes into the half home captain Hannah Thornhill intercepted in her own half and raced the length of the pitch to put the ball down beneath the posts, leaving the easiest of conversions for Burns.

After T-Birds defended well to see off a sustained spell of Henley pressure their lead was extended further just before the hour when a textbook line-out catch and drive near the line saw Samantha Willmott score. The conversion fell short.

To their credit Hawks refused to lie down and Sophie Shams quickly responded with an unconverted try. And the visitors had the last word just before the end when Gianna Noble-Cunningham dived over from close range and Abigail Michelow put Hawks within two points – and Thurrock were also reduced to 14 with a yellow card.

It set up an anxious last couple of minutes but T-Birds held out in a lengthy period of added time.

Their next clash promises to be even tougher, they travel to high-flying Old Albanians Saints on Sunday, 1 February.