HULL FC rolled into Workington for the first time since 1997, when the Boulevard was still white with clover.
Now, of course, it’s the MKM that’s Old Faithful’s pal as Town, for now at least, are still at Derwent Park.
This game, however, saw the two ladies' teams taking centre stage in a clash the wet the appetite of plenty on a Sunday afternoon befitting of another past time Winter Rugby.
Town then, were looking to make it third time lucky in their start to the 2026 season as they entered the Challenge Shield at the quarter final stage against Old Faithful as the airlee birds of Hull FC made the huge trip north to Cumbria.
For Town, they had got to this stage due to two walkover victories, both Bronte Barbarians and Crossfield ARLFC Ladies unable to field teams to take on Gareth Nicholson’s side.
For FC this will be their third game in the competition having won convincingly away at Wigan St Judes 0-50 and away at Rochdale Hornets 4-20, a team Town will play this season following their promotion from League 2.
The visitors were looking to continue their fine unbeaten start to 2026 when they came up against Town, knowing that their season is only one week away when they host bitter city rivals Hull KR in round 1 of the Championship season.
The ladies have prepared well, in the words of Gareth Nicholson, Head Coach: “As you’ve touched on, it’s been frustrating having a couple of games cancelled already, but the lasses themselves turned it into a positive and were speaking about it giving us more time to prepare and tune a few things, and I feel we’ve done that.
"We know it’s going to be a tough game, but it’s one we will be ready for, and it’s going to be a good opportunity to test ourselves against an established team from the Championship."
“The ladies have also shown plenty of strength early doors this season with a 24-hour SAS-style challenge across various areas of Cumbria to raise vital awareness and funds for a player's relative doing it real tough at the moment”.
The hosts got off to the perfect start when FC’s kick off didn’t go 10. Town made the most of the play when Beth Adams laid a platform for Scrimgour to score, evading 3 defenders to score, with debuting Keeley Charters converting.
Town then were nearly over again, but a forward pass halted their progress, and it was the turn of FC to put the pressure on.
A repeat set from a penalty due to Nikita Gibson pulling the hair of the FC centre saw them over to reduce the deficit to 2 points out wide for 6-4. The kick fell just short in a prevailing wind.
Town on 20 minutes were awarded a penalty when Ellie Foxwell was taken high.
The Town rolled down the pitch with another penalty on Byers for a high touch before Gibson was put into touch. In the act of scoring.
Town conceded two back-to-back penalties on 28 minutes, and FC led for the first time, 6-10.
Town were penalised again for another hair pull; however forced an error on the next play to get the ball back.
This came to nothing when Charters failed to play the ball correctly. To force a penalty. The game then though flowed well between the two.
The FC side scored again on 36 minutes when there was no hooker to play the ball for Town, as FC took advantage to score for 14-6. The kick fell short again into the wind.
The second half started in great fashion from Town when Leonie Bragg busted the tackle of two from FC to score as the kick failed into the wind.
Beth Adams rattled the comeback in for Town as she took 4 defenders over the line approaching the hour. Charters is sending Town back in from 16-14.
Then came the error from Byers, knocking on from the kick off. Town survived this, and the game became once again a huge battle of attrition in the wind.
Town looked to seal the deal when Rebecca Gilpin scored out wide with minutes left, as the kick again failed in the wind. The deal was sealed on the stroke of full-time when Sophie Price went over 24-14 with the wind catching the kick.
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