Akina Gondwe’s first-half try was not enough to prevent Warriors Women from falling to a 35-8 defeat at Richmond Women in the Tyrrells Premier 15s.
In an even first-half, the game opened up into an end-to-end contest before Richmond punished the visitors’ ill-discipline after the break.
Warriors started brightly, and went close to opening the scoring when strong running from Alex Callender and Caitlin Lewis took the visitors deep into opposing territory.
That pressure saw the away side win a penalty at the breakdown out wide but Vicky Foxwell’s difficult kick was just short.
Richmond then capitalised on handling errors to get deep into the Warriors 22 and they won a penalty right in front of the posts which Jess Wooden scored.
Good handling from Warriors then provided Callender with another chance to charge forward and she won a penalty which this time Foxwell converted to level the scores.
Warriors immediately went back on the attack and a succession of penalties took the visitors deep into Richmond’s 22.
Although the hosts stole the ball from the lineout, good counter-rucking saw Gondwe touch the ball down to give Warriors a five-point advantage.
Handling errors again saw Richmond back into the Warriors 22 and Kabeya was able to get the finishing touch for a try which levelled the score.
The visitors probed for an opening but the game opened out into an end-to-end contest and it was Richmond who took the lead.
Wooden saw a penalty fall short but the hosts turned it over, allowing Ellie Boatmen to find a gap for an unconverted try to give her side a 13-8 lead at half-time.
Richmond began to dominate after the break as ill-discipline began to hurt Warriors.
The hosts sent a penalty to the corner on 43 minutes and Grace Moore found a gap for a score which Gooden converted.
Warriors did try to find a way back into the game, but sturdy defence from Richmond was holding them out of the danger-zone.
And despite the pressure, it was Richmond who took the game out of reach ten minutes later when Wooden slotted a penalty through the posts.
Warriors then began to concede a succession of penalties and a high tackle from Elizabeth Shermer saw the second-row sent to the sin-bin.
Despite having a player less it was the visitors who did most of the attacking but a yellow-card for Lyndsay O’Donnell resulted in Boatman claiming her second as Richmond used their extra players to ruthless effect.
Warriors again went back on the attack but the hosts added the cherry to the cake at the death when Hallie Taufoo intercepted a pass on the 22 to sprint away under the posts, with Wooden adding the extras.
Warriors Women | 15 Mary-Ann Gittings; 14 Cara Clarke, 13 Vicky Foxwell, 12 Megan Varley, 11 Caitlin Lewis; 10 Megan Goddard, 9 Brooke Bradley; 1 Akina Gondwe, 2 Carmen Tremelling, 3 Lauren Leatherland; 4 Elizabeth Shermer, 5 Lyndsay O’Donnell (c); 6 Taz Bricknell, 7 Lucy Lockhart, 8 Alex Callender
Replacements: 16 Narcisse Jordan, 17 Lisa Campbell, 18 Sara Moreira, 19 Laura Thomas, 20 Ffion Lewis, 21 Jade Shekells, 22 Zoe Heeley