VICTORY was hard-won by the Tea Gardens Hawks Women’s Tackle team, as they defeated Clarence Town on Saturday 8 June.

The away game took place upon Clarence Town’s home field, the condition of which was best described as ‘atrocious’, but too many weeks of delayed games had forced the league to recommence games there.

The Hawks women endured sticky mud caused by poor drainage of recent downpours, with players’ feet often sinking up to the ankles, compounded by the uphill gradient of the field itself, while a poorly covered cricket pitch, diagonally across the field’s centre held the potential for many rolled ankles.

The Hawks came out of the gate strongly, quickly finding the try-line, but the Cobras defence held, delaying any score for much of the first half.

Despite running uphill, the Hawks women made several valiant and successful defences, but the fatiguing physics meant that Clarence Town inevitably fell across the line once, but their second attempt was saved by the half-time siren.

The second half brought the Hawks the downhill advantage that their opponents had enjoyed, which was finally capitalised upon by Chantelle Gallagher’s try in the 37th minute, levelling the score at 4-4.

The Hawks continued their strong pushes, with Jenaya, Bec, Dallas and Taylah all making good breaks to get to the line, testing Clarence Town’s defenders at each go.

Eventually, captain/coach Dallas Jones received the ball after a scrum on the ten metre line, and then found the try-line to pull the Hawks ahead.

Clarence Town’s women made a last-ditch run up and down the Hawks’ back line, coming dangerously close, but the Hawks held the line.

After an hour of mud-running and twisted ankles, the song of the full-time siren meant the Hawks had clinched their first victory of the season, and the first of Women’s Tackle for the Club, scoring 8-4, and well-earnt under terrible field conditions, although the sun shone brightly for the women.

By Thomas O’KEEFE