With the sun shining over PBL, Ellingham & Ringwood Women backed up last week’s away victory with another dominant performance against Reading, securing a 39–17 win in front of a cheering home crowd.

The match started at a relentless pace, picking up exactly where the previous week left off, with both sides switched on and physical from the first whistle. It was Ellingham who struck first this time, as Captain Anja Dixon powered through the defence with a strong carry to open the scoring inside three minutes.

Reading responded shortly after, but the Ellies remained composed, controlling large spells of possession and territory. After sustained pressure, Libby Peak crossed for Ellingham’s second, with Ellie Dolbear adding the extras.

Momentum firmly swung the home side’s way midway through the half. Rosalind “Swanny” Reed produced a moment of individual brilliance, collecting the ball around halfway and slicing through the Reading defence to score, again converted by Dolbear. Soon after, Chloe Baltazar added another from close range to give the Ellies a commanding 24–5 lead at half time.

Ellingham continued their dominance early in the second half. From a penalty deep in Reading territory, the forwards executed a powerful driving maul, allowing Dixon to claim her second of the match.

Reading managed to pull one back, but the Ellies responded once again, the ball was moved wide for Helena Sinclair to finish in the corner after excellent build-up work across the backline.

Despite tired legs and a growing injury list, Ellingham maintained control throughout, with big defensive efforts, including a standout turnover-forcing tackle from Elli Berninger ensuring Reading were kept at bay for long periods. A 80min Reading try ended the game, but it did little to reflect the overall dominance of the home side.
Another excellent team performance, built on consistency, physicality, and cohesion, sees the Ellies continue to grow stronger week by week.

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Forward of the Match – Anja Dixon
Led from the front with powerful carries, strong set-piece work, and excellent leadership throughout.

Back of the Match – Ellie Dolbear
Controlled the backfield superbly, sharp in attack, and relentless in support and defensive work.