Double Varsity success for Women's Blues
The 17th annual women's Blues Varsity match ended in a satisfying victory for Oxford.
Having been narrowly defeated in the previous two encounters, Oxford won the trophy back from Cambridge in a thrilling and closely-fought game which ended 10-7, pushing the Varsity record further into the Dark Blues' favour with Oxford now boasting 14 wins to Cambridge's three.
Both teams put up a great performance in tough conditions but Oxford proved the more determined team on the day, fighting back from a 7-5 deficit to clinch victory with a last-minute try.
The game was dead-locked for much of the first half as both teams worked hard to gain the advantage, with Oxford retaining the majority of possession. The forwards worked relentlessly to steal and recycle possession and could simply not be matched by their Cambridge opponents.
Storming runs by prop Kate Chidgey and centre Chris Liciaga gained considerable ground, and it was no surprise that Oxford were the first to put points on the board.
A wonderfully-worked move was finished off superbly by full-back Bethan Walsh giving the Dark Blues a 5-0 lead at half time. However, minutes into the second half, the lightening-quick Cambridge full-back responded with a storming run to score between the posts, allowing an easy conversion and taking the score to 7-5.
Oxford were camped on the Cambridge line for what seemed like an eternity but were unable to convert their considerable pressure into points and Cambridge managed to clear their lines several times as the game drew into its ten last minutes.
However the Dark Blues fought back and in the 76th minute lock Rosie Collins squeezed the ball over the line amongst a throng of players to put Oxford back in front by three points. Despite a flurry of late Cambridge pressure, Oxford remained solid and were over the moon with such a hard-fought and well deserved victory. Prop Kate Chidgey deservedly won man-of-the-match in the game that rounded off an outstanding career with OUWRFC, as she won her third Blue. The Varsity match typified a season in which the Blues have lost only four games.
This year's 4-3 victory saw Oxford retain the Varsity Trophy for the first time since 1999.
The 19th Women's Varsity football match will go down in history as one of the most exciting ever. Not since the inaugural meeting between the two Universities in 1986 has there been such a high scoring, closely fought encounter.
Last year's defeat appeared to have motivated the Dark Blues as they emerged confidently, belieing their status as underdogs.
Ten minutes into the game Eli Coldham slotted the ball past the Tab goalkeeper for a 1-0 lead. Either side of half-time Maggie Murphy and Coldham again put Oxford back in front only to be pegged back twice more by Camridge equalisers.
In the 80th minute Hurst broke down the left wing and struck a glorious shot over the flailing hands of the Tab keeper and into the far corner of the goal. Hurst herself was overjoyed as her goal secured only the 4th Oxford victory in the history of the Varsity match.
Captain Murphy said she was "ecstatic, and extremely proud" of her team's performance.
29th Apr 2004