It was a landmark day for women’s rugby in North Hampshire on Sunday as Andover and Basingstoke faced each other for the first time in a women’s league fixture at the Goodship Ground.
In front of an enthusiastic home crowd, Serenity Hair-sponsored Andover secured a bonus-point victory, defeating their visitors 20–5 in an entertaining and hard-fought contest.
Andover, who have worked tirelessly to develop their squad over the summer, showed their progress with a dominant display up front. The forwards carried powerfully throughout the match, controlled the line-out and stood firm against Basingstoke’s imposing scrum. That platform allowed the home side to attack with variety and intent, resulting in four well-taken tries.
Lottie Morris led the charge with a brace of tries, while Lauren Boorn and the dynamic Lisa Phillimore also crossed the line as Andover proved too strong for a determined Basingstoke outfit. The visitors enjoyed their own spells of pressure and were rewarded with a try following ten minutes of sustained attack, but Andover’s defensive organisation held firm to prevent any comeback.
The result saw Andover claim all five league points, underlining the strides they have made in recent seasons.
Head coach Conor Green praised both sides after the match, saying:
“We have come a long way in the last couple of years, but this is a group who work hard at their game and are still developing. We have a lot more to come – and on this showing, so do Basingstoke. The future of the female game in North Hampshire looks very bright.”
The victory marks an encouraging step forward for Andover Women as they continue their growth in competitive league rugby.
