Woman’s Rugby: Bishopton Women 21–20 Lenzie Women

Bishopton Women opened their National Shield campaign with a one-point victory over Lenzie at Holmpark, recovering from 10–0 down before surviving a late fightback. The visitors scored four tries to Bishopton’s three, but the kicking of Moira Douglass and Laura Martin proved decisive.

Neither team broke the deadlock in the opening quarter, with territory fiercely contested. Bishopton’s scrum showed a marked improvement on recent weeks, providing a solid attacking platform, but it was Lenzie who struck first.

The visitors crossed in the 27th minute after winning a penalty on Bishopton’s five-metre line and working the ball out wide. Four minutes later, they struck again, winning a lineout on Bishopton’s 22 before exploiting a gap on the wing to score in the corner. Both conversions were missed, leaving Bishopton trailing 10–0.

The home side responded shortly before the interval. Anna Thomson crossed in the 39th minute, with Douglass converting to reduce the deficit to 10–7.

Bishopton carried that momentum into the second half. With Lenzie conceding penalties as the hosts pressed into their 22, lock Sharon David scored under the posts in the 43rd minute to put Bishopton ahead. Douglass again converted for a 14–10 lead.

The physical contest continued, with flanker Natalie Ferguson and a Lenzie player both shown yellow cards around the 50-minute mark following a heated exchange at a breakdown.

Neither side scored during that period, but Bishopton’s scrum again provided an important foothold. A reshuffled front row of Christie Wasson, Jen Thompson-Ross and Nicola Ward helped drive Lenzie backwards on the visitors’ own put-in on several occasions.

The next breakthrough came in the 70th minute, when speedy full-back Florence James found a gap for Bishopton’s third try. Captain and stand-off Laura Martin converted to stretch the lead to 21–10.

Lenzie, however, were far from finished. A try in the 76th minute brought them within six points, although another missed conversion left them needing a converted try to take the lead.

The tension increased in stoppage time when Florence James was shown a yellow card for a high tackle as she attempted a last-ditch stop. Lenzie continued to probe Bishopton’s defence and eventually broke through in the far corner, reducing the deficit to a single point. The conversion offered the visitors a chance to snatch victory, but the kick went wide, leaving Bishopton to celebrate a hard-earned 21–20 win.

Natalie Ferguson and Florence James shared Bishopton’s Player of the Match award for their tackling and strong carrying, with James also receiving the opposition’s nomination. Debutant prop Kerry Ross earned the Bishy Way Award after an assured first appearance.

There was further cause for celebration as Sarah Milnes marked her 50th cap, while junior graduates Millie Hunter and Niamh McCreadie joined Ross in making their Bishopton debuts.

The return fixture at Lenzie later in the season promises another demanding contest. For now, Bishopton have a winning start to their Shield campaign.

Photo Credit: Will Starrs