IMPROVEMENT comes with practice, as the Lady Hawks confirmed with their latest home game result at Myall Park against the Stockton Sharks, on Saturday 15 July.

As play started, some Stockton ladies showed that they were not beyond sacrificing their bodies to make the tagging, and the crowd was privy to more than a few interesting tag-avoidance techniques.

With some recently absent Lady Hawks returning to the field, a strong defence was set down, proving its effectiveness with the first major Stockton try attempt saved by a fast chase up the right wing.

With their fancy (and questionable) tag-avoidance dance moves and backing-ups, Stockton managed their first try, but had to settle for the far corner as Hawks’ central defence remained strong.

Several more Stockton try attempts were miraculously saved, and Sophie Frazer, Chloe Tito and Sara Galea each made some good line breaks and runs, but alas none were to prevail.

Hawks main field kicker, Clarissa Mitchell, was highly consistent, often gaining considerable ground with her strong kicks on the fifth-taggings.

One heart-pounding close chance for a score appeared as the Lady Hawks gained possession from some Stockton knock-ons mere metres out, then made a gruelling push, but Stockton’s defence held out.

An ensuing storm of knock-ons from both sides meant that the first half ended at 0-4 only.

The second half saw some slippery tags go un-torn for Stockton, and few more tries to them as a result.

Too many Hawks, however, upon gaining possession of the ball and running ahead of the pack, would turn their head to find no-one to whom they could pass, and a few such line-breaks were squandered.

Fortunately, the Lady Hawks’ amplified defences proved strong enough to save four more tries in the last 3 minutes, mitigating the potential score difference considerably.

The Lady Hawks held fast right until the end, with the final score at 0-16.

By Thomas O’KEEFE