Match Report from: Colin Warrick

The Warriors took the pitch at Violetbank to face Ayr ladies knowing that a big performance was required.

The game kicked off in chilly conditions with the Warriors playing away from the clubhouse. Ayr pushed straight onto the attack with their forwards running hard into the Annan defence & it was from one of these periods of attack they turned pressure onto points opening the scoring with a well worked try.

Annan battled back into the game from the kick off but from a wayward pass Ayr turned the ball over to score the 2nd try of the game.

Following a couple on injury delays Ayr continued to attack & just prior to half time scored a further try.

Half time score: Annan Warriors 0 v Ayr Ladies 17

Still determined to put a performance in the Warriors continued to work hard & try to break the strong defensive line of the visitors. Unfortunately the 2nd half seemed to mirror the 1st with Ayr scoring after a period of pressure then increasing their lead when gaining a turnover.

However the Warriors werent to go away quietly & continued to lift their game & pressurise the visitors into giving away penalty after penalty, and from one of these penalties flanker Erin Ewing squeezed over the line to score a well earned try.

As the game entered the final 10 minutes the game had to be called short when Annan prop Becki Nelson suffered a serious leg injury which required an ambulance to attend. However unlike last week with the game having played over 60 minutes the score would be declared as a full time result.

Full time score: Annan Warriors 5 v Ayr Ladies 29

Thanks from Becki & all involved with the Warriors to the Ayr medical team who assisted Annan player & physio Megan Brogan in treating Beckis injury & staying with her until the Ambulance arrived, and we all wish Becki well on her long road of recovery ahead.

Although the result once again was a defeat the performance was one of the better ones with for long periods the Warriors were able to match the physicality of the Ayr team & when retaining the ball & playing within our game plan attacked with the intent and potentially should have scored more.

In attack the back row of Ashley Clark, Erin Ewing & Kayleigh Warrick shone once again but Sword of the match went to Eilidh Henderson.

In defence Rhianna Parker-Clevett, Niamh Ross & Jane Stewart tackled all day with Shield of match going to flanker Erin Ewing.

So the Warriors head on the long trip to Oban this weekend for what will be another physical challenge.

Annan team: B Nelson, R Parker-Clevett (c), M Cother, H Paterson, T Allinson, A Clark, E Ewing, K Warrick, N Ross, L Glendinning, E Henderson, E Szelag, J Clark, S McCracken, J Stewart

Replacements all used: M Brogan, J Warrick, J Stitt, A Cole, A Clash