Women’s Match Preview: Barrow (A)

[josie andrews]

HERE’S EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW AHEAD OF WIGAN WARRIORS WOMEN’S SECOND GAME OF THE 2024 BETFRED CHALLENGE CUP GROUP STAGES AGAINST BARROW RAIDERS.

The Warriors Women travel to face Barrow Raiders at the Northern Competitions Stadium (Craven Park) this Sunday 24th March (2pm K.O.) in the second of their Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup group games.

After beating Salford Red Devils 68-0 last weekend, the Warriors will then host Cardiff Demons in the final group game at Robin Park Arena on Sunday 7th April.

Squad News

Head Coach Denis Betts has named his 21-player squad for Sunday. Molly Jones and Olivia Harborow drop out of the 21, with Cailey Miller and Lucy Johnson coming in:

2 Cailey Miller
3 Anna Davies
5 Ellise Derbyshire
6 Sinead Doris
7 Emma Knowles
8 Alice Fisher
9 Abbie Singleton
10 Holly Speakman
11 Eva Hunter
12 Mary Coleman
14 Rachel Thompson
16 Brogan Evans
19 Ellie Costello
20 Emma Dwyer
21 Jade Gregory-Haselden
22 Jodie Morris
23 Kaitlin Hilton
24 Lucy Johnson
26 Cerys Jones
27 Beth Hayes
32 Isabel Rowe


Opposition

Barrow Ladies Head Coach Amanda Wilkinson has also named a 20-player squad for the fixture on Sunday:

20 - Woman Squad

Chloe Capstick
Leah Clough
Leah Cottier
Mia Dobson
Kelly Friend
Fran Harley
Claire Hutchinson
Emma Hutchinson
Michelle Larkin
Jodie Litherland
Laura Mellen
Jodie Morley
Sam Norman
Shannon Parker
Alice Rush
Hannah Sherlock
Emily Stirzaker
Vanessa Temple
Charlotte Todhunter

Coach Quotes

Reflecting on the win over Salford on Sunday, Head Coach Denis Betts said: “We did really well at Salford, we did lots of good things. We were obviously very good with the ball and you don’t score 60 points without creating loads of opportunities.

“The most pleasing aspect of the game is getting a zero on the board, it is just a fantastic effort because it means you have to hold your focus and the opposition still had opportunities on our try line which we had to defend. It is easy to let a couple of tries in as we were so far ahead but we did not want to sacrifice our line for anything. So that was the most pleasing part of the win was how hard the girls worked to keep it down to a zero on the board.”

Looking ahead to Sunday’s trip to Barrow, he added: “We are looking at small improvements across the board. Looking at our core elements and getting better at protecting each other. In general, we are looking at how the team functions and what shape we can hold, how we can support each other and get the ball to create opportunities.”


Player Quotes

Vice-Captain Rachel Thompson has given her thoughts ahead of the second game of the group stages: “I thought it was really good [Sunday’s victory over Salford], we are really building on what we worked on in pre-season.

“There are still a few things we need to work on but there was some really good stuff in there and obviously to keep them to nil is a massive credit to our defensive effort.”

She added: “I am looking forward to playing Barrow. They weren’t in our league last year but I think it will be a good game. It should be interesting to see how they are going and how they fare against Super League opposition – it is exciting.”

Kit Check

Our Warriors Women will wear the traditional Cherry & White home kit for Sunday’s visit to Barrow. Not got yours yet? Shop 2024 Kappa Kit HERE.

Match info

Sunday’s game takes place at Barrow’s Northern Competitions Stadium (Craven Park, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria LA14 1XP).

Tickets can be bought in advance from Barrow Raiders online HERE and cost £5 per person.

Turnstiles, the Raiders Bar and refreshment facilities generally open 2 hours before kick off unless otherwise stated.

Social Media

Wigan fans can follow every piece of the action via our social media channels and website.

X (Formerly Twitter) (@WiganWarriorsRL) – half time and full time updates.
Instagram (@wiganwarriorsrl) – half time and full time updates.
Facebook (Wigan Warriors) – half time and full time updates.
Website (www.wiganwarriors.com) – post-match reaction including a match report.

https://wiganwarriors.com/blog/2024/03/ ... -barrow-a/

[josie andrews]

What a bloody good game that was!

Well done Wigan Warriors Women
Losing all through until last 10 minutes or so to win 18 - 20.

[josie andrews]

Warriors Women snatch victory from Raiders

* Match Report as Wigan Warriors Women fight back to win against Barrow Raiders Ladies.

* The Warriors trailed 18-6 early in the second half before three unanswered tries saw them claim the victory.

* FT | Barrow Raiders 18-20 Wigan Warriors.

MATCH REPORT AS WIGAN WARRIORS WOMEN FIGHT BACK TO WIN AGAINST BARROW RAIDERS TO REMAIN TOP OF THEIR CHALLENGE CUP GROUP.

Emma Dwyer made her 50th appearance for Wigan as the Warriors had to weather a Barrow Raiders storm in a tricky second group game of the Betfred Challenge Cup.

Barrow built up an 18-6 scoreline after 50 minutes of play but Denis Betts’ Warriors fought back well to score three unanswered tries in the last half an hour of the game, paired with an excellent conversion by Isabel Rowe in the 76th minute to see Wigan to victory.

Report

It was an even start to the contest at the Northern Competitions stadium as both sides went set-for-set in a vital second game tie in the Challenge Cup group stages.

The hosts were first to cross though as Michelle Larkin opened the scoring for the raiders, receiving a pass and adding the footwork to go over. The opening effort was converted by Jodie Litherland to see Barrow at 6-0.

Wigan responded in the 26th minutes as Ellise Derbyshire continued her try scoring form from her debut. Anna Davies went close before the second play found Derbyshire to go over, Emma Knowles added the two and it was all square at 6-6.

Barrow went close a few minutes later as Jodie Morley went close, but the Raiders were penalised for offside and Wigan survived.

The Raiders did extend their lead just after the half hour however, as former Warriors Vanessa Temple shrugged off the Wigan defence to crash over, Litherland couldn’t convert but it was 10-6.

Just before the break and Temple again proved to be a thorn in Wigan’s side as she punished an error from the Cherry & Whites to cross for her second of the game. Alice Rush took over the kicking duties but could not add the extras as Barrow took a 14-6 lead in at the half way point.

Keen to test Wigan, Barrow proved their persistence one more as Alice Rush crossed in the 46th minute. The Raiders shifted the play left to find Rush out wide, who crossed in the corner. The difficult conversion was off target from Litherland but Barrow held the 18-6 advantage with half an hour to play.

Wigan snatched one back just a few minutes later as a fantastic break of the defensive line from the Warriors allowed Ellise Derbyshire to finish off the move with her second score of the game and reduce the deficit. Emma Knowles couldn’t add the extras and it was 18-10.

Barrow were spirited in their defence but Wigan found another response just 10 minutes later. Back-to-back penalties allowed Wigan to get close to the Barrow line and they took the opportunity – a 3-on-1 on the right edge saw young full-back Isabel Rowe go over for Wigan’s third of the afternoon. The conversion was short as Wigan trailed by two-points going into the final 15 minutes.

Wigan got themselves in front for the first time in the 75th minute as a tiring Barrow side allowed Kaitlin Hilton to force her way over the goal line for Wigan’s fourth of the afternoon. A testing conversion from Isabel Rowe was fantastically taken to a huge roar as Wigan sat at 20-18 going into the dying minutes.

Barrow thought they had snatched it at the death, as Mia Dobson crossed on the hooter but the referee denied the score for a forward pass in the build-up as Wigan claimed the victory, seeing them remain top of the table after the second round of games.

Barrow Raiders: Sam Norman, Emma Hutchinson, Claire Hutchinson, Michelle Larkin, Alice Rush, Kerrie-Ann Smith, Jodie Litherland, Mia Dobson, Leah Cottier, Jodie Morley, Leah Clough, Vanessa Temple, Emily Stirzaker.

Interchange: Kelly Friend, Hannah Sherlock, Charlotte Todhunter, Shannon Parker.

18th Player: Fran Harley.

Tries: Larkin (10′), Temple (30′, 36′), Rush (46′)

Goals: Litherland 1/3, Rush 0/1

Wigan Warriors: Isabel Rowe, Cailey Miller, Kaitlin Hilton, Anna Davies, Ellise Derbyshire, Sinead Doria, Emma Knowles, Holly Speakman, Emma Dwyer, Lucy Johnson, Eva Hunter, Mary Coleman, Rachel Thompson.

Interchange: Cerys Jones, Brogan Evans, Jodie Morris, Bethany Hayes.

18th Player: Ellie Costello.

Tries: Derbyshire (23′, 52′), Rowe (64′), Hilton (75′)

Goals: Knowles 1/3, Rowe 1/1

https://wiganwarriors.com/blog/2024/03/ ... m-raiders/