WELLINGTON RFC Vixens met Cullompton Ladies in their NC3 South West Central League game under clear skies and a biting wind at the Athletic Ground and put up a spirited display before losing 30-10.

Cullompton are riding high in the league and are a big strong experienced side, making this fixture a great test for Vixens, who due to player absences had a number of the squad playing out of position.

The Vixens won the toss and opted to play down the slope. From the kick-off both sides threw everything at each other with the Vixens having to defend against Cully’s huge pack.

Cully were first to open the scoring with their forwards driving up the pitching, drawing in defenders before breaking wide out. The extras were missed. Cully added another unconverted try ten minutes later.

The Vixens mounted some of their own attacks with numerous charging runs from Jodie Curtis-Clift and Brianna Whelan linking with fellow forwards Jo Marley, Lara Graham-White, Ceinwyn Lock and Poppy Hutchins making hard yards with scrum half Lisa Jenkins linking well with fly half Talyor Wetherall.

It was from one such attack Wetherall backed herself to make a line break 20 metres out from the Cully line to go over for Wellington’s first try. The extras were missed.

Play then had to be stopped for a nasty injury to hooker Ceinwyn Lock with a suspected fracture of the ankle. Coral Osman replaced the lock in the front row.

From the restart Cully then hit back to score wide out with the extras missed.

The half time whistle went with the score standing at Wellington 5, Cullompton 15.

The Vixens then made further positional adjustments due to injuries with the teams down to fourteen players on the pitch.

The second half kicked off seeing Cully go on the attack with their huge pack imposing itself in the loose. The Vixens worked hard tackling everything that moved to stop numerous attacks.

But Cully found space to run wide out to score a well worked try, with the extras being missed.

The Vixens regrouped and worked hard, mounting a number of attacks, seeing the ball go wide to Maxime Pontin to race in and touch down, only for it to be disallowed as she was adjudged to have a foot in touch.

Cully then worked their way up field to score a try wide out with the extras missed. Vixens refused to lie down and played their hearts out to see forwards and backs link up with the ball going to captain Taylor Wetherall to charge over for her second which was not converted.

In the last quarter the Vixens saw themselves defending hard and second row Katie Fishlock stepped up to make some great defensive tackling and enthusing the team right to the end.

As the second half closed Cully scored a try wide out which was again unconverted. The final whistle went with the score reading Wellington 10, Cullompton 30.

The Vixens most valuable player award went to Katie Fishlock. The back of the match was Emily Willis, while the forward of the match was Jo Marley.

The Vixens are next in action away this coming Sunday, February 16, to Sidmouth RFC Ladies in their NC3 League clash, with the kick off being 2.30p.m.