WELLINGTON RFC Vixens played their first home league game of the season, beatingt Exmouth RFC Ladies 49-12 in front of a large crowd at the Athletic ground, writes Hugh Barrett.

The Vixens knew they would have a game on their hands as Exmouth Ladies gained a resounding win on the road at Brixham RFC Sirens last time out.

The Vixens lost the toss and played down the slope in the first half. From the kick off the Vixens were quickest out the blocks and put Exmouth under pressure, the forwards driving play and a quick ball saw winger Zoe Wadham race in wide out for the first try. The extras were missed.

Exmouth tried to get into their stride but the Vixens’ quick defence caused havoc and Exmouth made numerous mistakes turning the ball over. From a slick Vixens attack the ball went to winger Courtney Sellick who scored wide out. The extras were missed.

The Vixens were now applying pressure from all areas of the pitch and the backs worked a move seeing full back Lizzie Cave enter the line at speed and dart over the white wash to score wide out. Again the extras were missed.

The pressure was mounting on Exmouth and the Vixens were turning resilient defence into attack at every opportunity. Forwards and backs worked in unison to see winger Courtney Sellick race in for her second and the Vixens fourth.

Play was then paused due to a serious knee injury to No8 and captain Taylor Wetherall-Davies who left the field. Play recommenced with the Vixens deep in the Exmouth half, from some driving play the ball was worked wide at pace to winger Zoe Wadham who raced in to score her second and the Vixens fifth. The extras were missed.

The Vixens tails were up and from a driving maul by the forwardssSecond row Kylie Moore dived in to score her first try for the Vixens. The half time whistle went with a score of Vixens 30, Exmouth 0.

Exmouth regrouped and attacked at every opportunity, many plays being halted but, from passage of play seeing their forwards driving hard, their scrum half darted over to score their first try. The extras were missed.

Exmouth, re-energised, put huge pressure on the Vixens who defended aggressively to halt numerous attacks, until the Vixens were judged offside a few metres from their own try line. Exmouth took a quick tap penalty seeing their second-row dive in just wide of the posts.The conversion was good.

The Vixens replacements then invigorated them back into their groove, a fine phase of attacking play saw fly half Angharad De Smet race through the Exmouth defence to score under the posts for her debut try for the Vixens. Lara Grabham-White stepped up to kick the two extra points.

The Vixens’s next try came from great defence where Zoe Wadham, standing in as scrum half, intercepted a lazy Exmouth pass to race in to score just wide of the posts .Lara Grabham-White kicked the extra two points.

The Vixens final try saw Angharad De Smet race in for her second five-pointer and the Vixens ninth. The extras were missed. Final score Vixens 49, Exmouth 12.

Player of the game was Zoe Wadham; forward of the game Min Bee; back of the game Courtney Sellick.