BBOB’s Ladies welcomed Old Northamptonians Ladies to St. Andrews Mill, under the floodlights with a large crowd in attendance for a Women’s Alliance Cup encounter that proved to be a bruising, hard-fought contest from start to finish.

From the opening exchanges, both sides committed fully at the breakdown, setting the tone for what became a heavy-hitting game of attrition. Territory was fiercely contested, with neither team willing to give an inch as defences dominated much of the early proceedings. The physical battle in the forwards dictated long spells of the match, with tackles flying in and momentum hard to come by.

Despite the intensity and balance of play, it was Old Northamptonians Ladies who edged a tight first half, taking a narrow 7–5 lead into the break. BBOB’s Ladies showed real resilience and determination, matching their visitors in both physicality and work rate and ensuring the contest remained finely poised at half-time.

As the game wore on, Old Northamptonians Ladies began to find greater fluency, particularly after the break. While the contest remained physical, it was the ONs’ backs who eventually provided the cutting edge, capitalising on space and opportunities to stretch the game in the second half.

Despite BBOB’s continued resistance and commitment, Old Northamptonians were able to convert their chances and gradually pull clear, running out eventual winners by 26 points to 5. The scoreline reflected their clinical edge later in the match, though it did not fully capture the intensity or effort shown by both sides throughout the evening.

Both teams can take positives from a demanding cup fixture, with the floodlit setting providing a fitting backdrop to a competitive and hard-fought encounter in the Women’s Alliance Cup.