Quins received the kick-off and instantly put the visitors under pressure with some strong runs into the oppositions half. Romford contested well at the breakdowns, forcing Quins to commit more players at the rucks then they would have liked.

Thanks to the wet conditions, there were handling errors by both sides but Quins continued to dominate possession. The quick hands of the backs sent the ball down the line, allowing full back Kate Sinfield to open the scoring for Quins with the first try of the match.

As Quins settled into the game, the support running began to improve and the ball was recycled more quickly. Their second try was scored by scrum half Donna Tracey, which Sinfield converted. Quins celebrated one further try before the interval, with centre Jane Wilson crashing through to score.

In the second half, Romford launched a much stronger attack, forcing Quins on to the back foot for the first time. However, the Quins defence held out well, although the pace of the Romford backs proved to be quite a test, with some excellent cover tackles needed for the home side to hold onto their clean sheet.

Quins added two more tries to their tally; a second from Wilson and one from outside centre Amy Wellington, whose secure hands kept the greasy ball in hand before touching down over the line.

Whilst pleased to record a win in advance of Sunday's (10th October) league fixture away to Wimbledon, Quins still have a lot to work on. Romford may be a new team but with a strong pack and the speed of their backs, they will soon become a team to be reckoned with in the South-East.

Club News

Last week, the Harlequin Ladies said goodbye to another of their talented youth team graduates, as flanker Laura Coy headed off to University. Laura's skills will be greatly missed and we wish her every success, both on and off the pitch.

We would also like to wish Club Captain Mel Antao the best of luck for her knee reconstruction this week. Mel has been plagued with knee problems since her original injury in the match that saw Quins promoted to Division 1. We look forward to seeing a fully-recovered Mel back on the pitch later in the season.