England Community Lions began their historic tour of Serbia with a win in their first game against the national side.
It took the Lions twenty minutes get into their stride after opening well with a try on the right by Lauren Exley. Chloe Wainwright Morley converted and Serbia replied with some spirited play before Mia-Jayne Atherton blasted through a three-player tackle and swept over on the left. It was too far out for Wainwright Morley to goal this time but it was now 0-10.
Three more tries went the Lions way before half-time as swift passing paved the way for Victoria Thomas to score in the corner, and then Arabella Reed bludgeoned through a tackle before reaching out to score. Wainwright Morlet added her second goal, then on the cusp of half-time, Carla Nolan finished superbly to make it 0-24 at half-time.
The second half was an altogether slicker affair for the Lions who added eight tries to their tally, including two from sub Faye Barraclough and a hat-trick from Leamington Royals Sophie Henry.
Barraclough opened scoring five minutes inside the new half when she slipped a tackle in midfield and Barraclough went 65 metres. Sue Neuman kicked the first of two goals and it was 0-30. Five minutes after that superb link-up between Neumann and Lois Brown saw the Hull KR prop go over by the post. Nicky Gross goaled before the Lions again found their scoring groove after 54 minutes when pinpoint passing paved the way for Henry to score her first.
Serbia were wilting and the Lions unstinting. Agnes Wood plundered her way over from dummy-half before some more nifty footwork and pace from Barraclough brought her a second try and another sixty-metre finish. Lisa Parker goaled to bring up the half-century. By this time, the Lions were ultra confident and Henry stepped in off the left after 67 minutes and Parker goaled once more. At the other end, good defence kept Serbia at bay and two late tries took the scoreboard further away from the plucky hosts. Henry took her hat-trick score well with a diving finish before Brown drove and drove, and pushed her way over the line for her second try Neumann to add the final points with her second goal.
Jelena Stojiykovic and Mariaja Maslakovic impressive for the hosts where despite the score they were thrice held up over the line and will welcome as many as five new faces when the teams face off for the inaugural Flora Sandes Cup, named after the Yorkshire-born woman who served as a member of the Royal Serbian Army in World War I. Initially serving in World War I as a St. John Ambulance volunteer, she travelled to the Kingdom of Serbia, where she was welcomed and formally enrolled in their army. She earned the rank of Sergeant Major and was decorated with seven medals.
Serbia Women
Tamara Boshjak, Ahja Lihter, Teidora Micic, Anastasija Karanovic, Dragana Zezeh; Jelena Stojiykovic, Karolina Blizanac; Teodora Marin, Natasa Kovacevic Jovana Fridl, Natalija Simic, Anika Bajic, Mariaja Maslakovic. Subs: Sahya Starcevic, Marija Simovic, Lhihana Bajic, Ksenija Bogojevic.
England Community Lions Women
17 Carla Nolan (Hull KR)
2 Tilly Davies (Stanningley)
4 Claire Fisher (Sheffield Eagles)
1 Sophie Banks (Hull KR)
3 Victoria Thomas (Sheffield Eagles)
15 Chloe Wainwright Morley (Stanningley)
7 Sarah Palmer (Sheffield Eagles)
10 Sue Neumann (London Broncos)
13 Nicky Gross (Bedford Tigers)
19 Lois Brown (Hull KR)
11 Mia-Jayne Atherton (Swinton Lions)
18 Lauren Exley (Stanningley)
6 Nancy Hirst Dewsbury Moor)
Subs (All Used)
21 Morgan Pearson (Rochdale Hornets)
14 Agnes Wood (Sheffield Eagles)
8 Aaliyah Brewster (Hull KR)
20 Arabella Reed (Thatto Heath Crusaders)
9 Lisa Parker (Sheffield Eagles)
12 Olivia Argent (Thatto Heath Crusaders)
5 Faye Barraclough (Dewsbury Moor)
16 Sophie Henry (Leamington Royals)
Tries: Exley (3), Atherton (24), Thomas (29), Reed (37), Nolan (40), Barraclough (45, 65), Brown (50, 79), Henry (54, 67, 76), Wood (58).
Goals: Wainwright Morley 2/5, Neumann 2/3, Gross 1/3, Parker 2/2.
Serbia Women 0
England Community Lions Women 66
By Dave Parkinson
Penalty Count 4-1
Half-time: 0-24
