 Lincoln Ladies produced more fantastic teamwork as four tries from Shannon Pasotti helped the league leaders to a hard-fought 52-17 home victory against Broughton Park Women.

Hannah McCabe grabbed a brace of tries for Lincoln and captain Emily Hird and Nicole Allison, who was named as Lincoln’s Forward of the Match, each scored one.

Lincoln’s remaining points came via the boot of Emily Nelson who successfully slotted over six conversions.

Lincoln went into the game knowing it would be a tough encounter as only three points separated them from their third-placed Lancashire opponents, but another great display of character and determination led them to an eighth successive league victory.

Broughton Park put Lincoln under early pressure from the kick-off, causing the hosts to drop the ball, but the visitors soon knocked on. From the resulting scrum, Lincoln broke down the left-hand side of pitch and over halfway.

After a scrum and more recycling of the ball, McCabe ran onto it and offloaded to Pasotti. Pasotti, who was named as Lincoln’s best player by the opposition, then ran down the right-hand touchline and around the full-back to score a try under the posts. Nelson added the extras.

Broughton Park responded with sustained pressure on Lincoln, who gave away a few penalties and ended up on their own five-metre line. After more repeated pressure, the visitors scored a try and added a conversion to level the score.

Lincoln increased their lead when the visitors won a lineout and kicked the ball out of their 22, but it fell into the hands of McCabe, who ran around all of the defence to score a try, which Nelson converted.

From the kick-off, Lincoln gave away possession almost immediately and conceded a penalty in the middle of the park, which Broughton Park kicked towards the 22. After a lineout and maul, the visitors scored an unconverted try wide out on the left.

After a bit of to and fro in the middle of the park, Lincoln eventually won a penalty and kicked it before a driving maul saw them stopped just a metre short of the try line. The ball was then recycled quickly and Hird brought Pasotti onto a crash ball and she went over for her second try of the afternoon, which Nelson converted.

From the resulting kick-off, Hird collected the ball and drove it in before quick recycling through the hands set up Pasotti, who made a great break to the halfway line. Pasotti then popped the ball out to McCabe on her shoulder, who outstripped all of the defence to run in for a try under the posts.

 Nelson successfully slotted over the conversion to give Lincoln a 28-12 lead going in at the break.

Lincoln put Broughton Park under a lot of pressure straight from the kick-off before stripping the ball at a ruck. Although the visitors soon won the ball back they cleared it straight to McCabe, who made great yards.

It wasn’t long before the ball came out of a ruck to Hird, who crashed over for a try to the right-hand side of the posts, which Nelson converted.

After a bit of to and fro in the middle of the park, Lincoln were awarded a scrum for a knock-on. Allison picked up the ball from the back of the scrum before tipping it onto Lincoln’s Back of the Match Jade Morgan, who carried it around the corner.

Morgan then drew in the defence and tipped the ball onto Pasotti, who outstripped the cover defence and stepped inside the full-back to go over for a try under the posts and complete her hat-trick. Nelson added the extras.

Lincoln then gave away a series of penalties that saw them end up camped inside their own 22. Broughton Park then shipped the ball out wide to score an unconverted try in the five-metre channel.

From the resulting kick-off, Broughton Park knocked on. From the resulting scrum, Lincoln attacked right towards the posts before some brilliant handling by Hird and McCabe set up Pasotti, who ran in for a try 10 metres from the right-hand side of the posts.

Broughton Park were reduced to 14 players eight minutes from time after a slap down when Lincoln had an overlap.

Lincoln made the most of having an extra player and put more pressure on Broughton Park, who conceded numerous penalties.

After several quick tap penalties, Lincoln eventually went across the front of the posts to the left-hand side of the pitch before the ball bounced loose in contact. Allison picked up the ball and swivelled around, took the contact and touched down for a try in the five-metre channel to complete the scoring.

POST MATCH COMMENTS

After the match, Lincoln Ladies Head Coach Brian Kelly said: “We’d identified this fixture as a must win.

“Broughton are an excellent side with a strong pack and third in the league doesn’t do them justice as a team.

“We had a number of positional changes due to unavailability and the ladies did their jobs unbelievably well.

“It is a testament to this group’s mindset that art 28-12 up at half-time they were self critical and wanted to do better. They really made themselves accountable and they can be seriously proud of that performance.”

Lincoln Ladies captain Emily Hird said: “We knew this week’s game would be a challenge playing third in the league.

“The majority of the first half was a very tight and hard fought game, showing great moments from both teams.

“A combination of some individual brilliance, team work rate and a lack of rotation from the other team, was the catalyst for a dominant second-half performance for Lincoln.

“I’m really proud of the girl’s performance against a strong defensive system. Another great victory at home, keeping our promotion hopes alive.”