9 tries as 1861 tame panthers

After 3 weeks without a game, Sale 1861 returned to home comforts as they took on third placed Birkenhead Park Panthers at Carrington.

The early stages of the game saw the visitors with the majority of the territory but 1861 opened the scoring in the 9th minute when the ball was fed through several pairs of hands before full back, Amber Hallmark, crashed over; Aimee Wallace added a fine conversion. 7-0

A second try followed in the 21st minute, Chloe Hull stopped just short of the line before India Perris-Redding picked up and forced her way over; Aimee Wallace kicking the extras. 14-0

The scrum half scored an almost identical try in the 29th minute after good work from Maddie Archer but the Panthers reduced the arrears shortly afterwards with a penalty from fly half, Justine Shaw. 21-3

The last few minutes of the half saw the blue and whites go through the gears as Georgia Sutherland sprinted in from 50m, Georgia McCulluch dived over out wide and India Perris-Redding scorched away for her hat-trick. HT 38-3

The visitors came out with renewed vigour in the second half but the 1861 defence was in typically mean mood and they eventually extended their lead as Georgia Sutherland scored another excellent try from distance. 45-3

After surviving a prolonged period of pressure near our try line, we cut loose again with tries from Liana Leota and Zena Francis in the final 5 minutes. FT 55-3

Some excellent individual performances but, more importantly, superb as a team to stay very much in the mix for promotion.