In their last game of the year, the Wasps entertained Liverpool St Helens. The visitors who started the day in second came into the game with a phenomenal record. This season they had won 6 of 7, but the only “loss” came from a game conceded game against Birkenhead Park. Last season they won their league with a perfect 10 from 10 and had done the same the previous season with 12 from 12, so had not been beaten on the pitch.

For the Wasps it was the same squad who had drawn at Manchester last weekend, with the exception of Hayley Hodgson who came in in place of Tamar Benson.

An overcast afternoon, but it stayed dry.

The Wasps made a perfect start. The Liverpool St Helens kick off was run back and the ball moved from right to left, where given some space left wing Sophie Postlethwaite flew down the touchline with a run from within her own half to score. As she would be taking the conversion, she wisely touched down near the posts to make her own job easier. 7v0 after just a minute's play.

From then on in the first half it was almost all Liverpool St Helens on the attack in the Wasps half. Despite some typically solid Wasps tackling, LSH kept coming back, and when the Wasps had the ball, the Liverpool St Helens defence was equally solid, to stop them escaping the stranglehold.

After fifteen minutes when awarded a penalty for a high tackle, LSH took the points 7v3.

The game continued in the same way, but the Wasps defence held firm, and when awarded a penalty at a scrum, late in the first half LSH took the points to narrow the gap at half time to 7v6.

The Wasps came more into the game at the start of the second half, but a string of handling errors meant they could get no momentum.

After seven minutes LSH took the lead with a penalty after the Wasps were penalised for handing at the ruck - the referee was very strict on both sides on this, allowing very little competition at the breakdown. 7v9.

Midway through the half LSH were temporarily reduced to fourteen when a player was yellow carded for a high tackle, after the referee had earlier warned both teams.

As the game came to the last ten minutes, the Wasps superior fitness started to tell and they came more into the game, but having replaced place kicker Sophie Postlethwaite, when they had a penalty near the post there was some debated, but Allysia Hine stepped up and put the kick over, to give the Wasps back the lead 10v9.

The Wasps were now on top for the first time, and when awarded penalties, started taking them quickly to not allowing their tiring opponents any chance to recover.

It looked as if an opportunity to make the game safe had been missed when a pass went down. However from the resulting scrum, the ball was turned over by the Wasps and quickly moved out to the left wing, where replacement India Brennan showed pace and power to get through some tackles to score in the corner. 15v9 with five minutes to play.

LSH were not finished and came back and the Wasps conceded a number of penalties and finally the ball was moved wide to the left wing for a score, but wide out. LSH however had a good place kicker. Fortunately for the Wasps the kick failed to find its target, and the referee blew for full time, with them clinging on for a narrow win.

Yet again a game where defence was on top. Plenty of room for improvement in attack for the Wasps, but to hold a team with such a phenomenal record to just a single try scored in second half injury time, yet again shows the quality of their defensive play.

Forward of the Match : Amber Byers
Back of the Match : Sophie Postlethwaite
Opposition Choice : India Brennan

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TEAMS

A couple of changes to the selected team. Megan Byers was unwell so Hannah Metchalfe moved to No.2 and Ellie Noar came in at 3. Megan was on the bench if needed due to injuries but fortunately was not required.

Sarah Wilkinson and Aimee Sharp swapped places with Sharp starting from the bench.