Hornets Women secure promotion with Grand Final victory over Rochdale Mayfield

Rochdale Hornets Women secured promotion to the Women’s Northern League One after getting the better of local rivals Rochdale Mayfield 20-14 in Sunday’s Women’s Northern League Two Grand Final at Odsal.

Ben Bird’s side were looking to complete an unbeaten league season and win promotion in their first year since reforming.

After a quick start, it was Hornets who drew first blood in the contest after just four minutes as Hiske Blom made a break down the wing to score in the corner.

Darcey Price extended the Hornets’ lead as she crashed over from close range, with Molly Udale-Williams adding the extras from in front of the posts.

Moments later though, the advantage was cut to six points as Mayfield worked the ball from left to right to get on the scoresheet for the first time.

Errors from both teams followed, but the bulk of the play after the Mayfield try took place in their half, with the Hornets going close on a couple of occasions without being able to find the breakthrough.

There was no further action in the half as Ben Bird’s side went into the break with a 10-4 lead.

The Hornets started the second half in the same vein as the first, as Blom once again scored in the corner following a well-worked passing move.

A cagey spell followed from both teams as errors crept back into the game, but Mayfield stood firm in the face of some strong Hornets pressure throughout the half. 

Mayfield did look threatening on their rare forays into opposition territory, and after earning a penalty inside the Hornets 10m, they eventually made their field position count.

Scoring in the corner once more, the conversion was dragged wide of the posts but it was a six-point game once more.

That try shifted the momentum Mayfield’s way, and suddenly it was the Hornets’ turn to defend with their backs against the wall.

Unforced errors gifted the opposition a few golden opportunities, but they couldn’t make them pay. 

Eight minutes from time, a penalty was awarded inside the Mayfield half and after Udale-Williams elected to kick for touch, Claire Collins muscled her way over from close range to give her side a double-digital lead which Udale-Williams turned into 12 to put more daylight between the two teams.

It wasn’t over yet though as Mayfield gave themselves a glimmer of hope as they pounced upon a loose ball which Udale-Williams couldn’t deal with before converting to make it 20-14.

That proved to be academic, however, and the full-time hooter sounded before there was time to restart. 

In a game which was fiercely contested, it was the Hornets who won local bragging rights and most importantly of all, promotion and an invincible league campaign.