Warriors Women win at Salford

• Match Report as Wigan Warriors Women run out winners against Salford Red Devils in the Challenge Cup group stages.
• Wigan scored thirteen unanswered tries in a dominant display at Salford Community Stadium.
• FT | Salford Red Devils 0-68 Wigan Warriors.

Wigan Warriors Women opened their Challenge Cup group stages with a dominant win away to salford Red Devils on Sunday afternoon.

The Warriors had five debutants on the day as Isabel Rowe started at full back with Ellise Derbyshire on the wing, Emma Knowles in the halves and Alice Fisher at prop forward. Brogan Evans also made her debut off the interchange bench, against her former Club.

It was a great first forty for Wigan who scores seven unanswered tries to build up a 36-0 advantage, include scores on debut for Ellise Derbyshire and Alice Fisher.

The second half was of similar enthusiasm, despite Salford coming out strong from the break, Wigan ran in a further six tries after the break as Ellise Derbyshire completed a hat-trick and Izzy Rowe scored a double on debut.

Report

Wigan were quick out of the blocks as Ellise Derbyshire, on debut, opened the scoring after just one minute of play, with another debutant Emma Knowles converting the effort for an early 6-0 score.

Shortly afterwards and fellow debutant Alice Fisher got her first for the Warriors finishing off a great move down the middle of the park, the forward crashing over before Knowles added a second conversion for 12-0.

The Warriors made it three tries in ten opening minutes as Mary Coleman was the next to get on the scoresheet. The second rower collected the ball deep in her own half before racing down the right wing, eventually cutting back inside to go over close to the uprights, Knowles made it three from three from the tee as Wigan sat at 18-0.

After a fantastic start to the fixture, Salford held on well for a short period but Wigan struck again on 19 minutes as Abbie Singleton crashed over from dummy half. Clever play from the hooker saw her spot the gap in the defensive line to sneak in. The conversion attempt went across the face of the sticks this time but Wigan were in a great position at 22-0 after the first quarter.

Prolific try scorer Anna Davies got in on the action in the 23rd minute, collecting a looping pass from Doria to the right wing to cross the whitewash, the touchline conversion was short.

Wigan then made a trio of changes as Gregory-Haselden, Harborow and B.Evans replaced Fisher, Singleton and Thompson.

Eva Hunter became the sixth try scorer of the afternoon as she dived over the line on the left edge, supporting some fantastic build-up play from Brogan Evans on her Club debut.

Wigan’s final score of the first half came from prop forward Holly Speakman as she bumped off two defenders close to the sticks to stretch out and score on the hooter. Knowles converted her fourth goal of the afternoon to see Wigan with the 36-0 advantage at the interval.

Molly Jones crossed in the 44th minute, supporting the play to sneak over. The effort came at a cost however, as the young centre was forced off the field with a collarbone injury in the act of scoring as Wigan held the 40-0 scoreline.

Salford sustained good pressure for a further 10 minutes but Wigan continued their fine attacking form as full back Izzy Rowe got on the tally. Collecting a kick on the last inside Wigan’s half, the youngster rounded the Red Devils defence on the left edge before cutting inside to go under the H’s for an easy conversion for Knowles.

Ellise Derbyshire added her second on the hour, similarly receiving the ball on the left and weaving her way to go in under the sticks, with Knowles again converting as the score stood at 52-0.

Anna Davies confirmed a brace as she sprinted her way to the goal line for another simple conversion angle for Knowles, who added with ease. A dream debut for Ellise Derbyshire saw the winger complete her hat-trick with 10 minutes to go, finishing off another great move on the left as Wigan made it 62-0.

The final act of the game saw Wigan get a penalty as Izzy Rowe was caught high whilst racing away. The full back followed up the restart to power towards the sticks for her second of the game, Knowles conversion was the last act of the game as she confirmed a 68-0 victory from the tee.

The dominant win sees Wigan top of their group after the first round of games in the Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup. The Warriors face Barrow Raiders on the road next weekend.

Gallery:

Salford Red Devils: Luci McKeown, Emily Webb, Alex Simpson, Jadine McVernon, Lily Gray, Sam Evans, Demi Jones, Abi Collins, Taz Corcoran, Emily Bagguley, Jen Myler, Summer Harris, Sophie Morris.

Interchange: Marnie-Lee Kelly, Holly Grimes, Darcey Price, Lydia Egan.

Wigan Warriors: Isabel Rowe, Anna Davies, Kaitlin Hilton, Molly Jones, Ellise Derbyshire, Sinead Doria, Emma Knowles, Holly Speakman, Abbie Singleton, Alice Fisher, Eva Hunter, Mary Coleman, Rachel Thompson.

Interchange: Cerys Jones, Olivia Harborow, Jade Gregory-Haselden, Brogan Evans.

18th Player: Jodie Morris

Tries: Derbyshire (1′, 60′, 70′), Fisher (5′), Coleman (11′), Singleton (19′), Davies (23′, 65′), Hunter (37′), Speakman (40′), M.Jones (44′), Rowe (55′, 79′)

Goals: Knowles 8/13