SCAA First Pacific Causeway Bay Phoenix today lived up to their promise to avenge last week’s pasting from Gai Wu with a 12-5 win over fourth-placed Natixis HKFC Ice, one above them and with four wins to their two in the HKRU KPMG Women’s Premiership.

The game mattered for both sides and the commitment showed. Through much of the first half, Football Club – missing a number of key players through injury and travel – struggled to gain and keep possession. Good movement from an energised Causeway Bay backline paid off midway through when quick hands out of the ruck fed the ball through to right wing Hau Sin Man. She showed some sustained speed to carry the ball over, toward the corner, and a solid conversion from hooker Chin Po Po put the home team in control.

Late in the half, Football Club rallied somewhat but couldn’t convert the possession to points, and the 7‑0 scoreline stood at the break.

Both sides restarted well but the energy and accuracy of the SCAA team kept the pressure on Football Club. With around three-quarters of the game played, another win from the ruck brought the result within reach. The ball was quickly distributed through the backs via a deft switch back to the blindside. More good legs from Hau Sin Man finished the move, earning a 12-0 lead.

Football Club then rallied once more and began to find some movement of their own, with the final 15 minutes much their strongest period of the game. At ten minutes to go, from pressure at the Causeway Bay 22, No.8 Mei Nam Chow broke through the line and was set to score, but for an infraction that earned her side a penalty try, which was duly converted.

Despite a continued resurgence from Football Club, this hard-fought game refused to yield further points and ended with smiles on Causeway Bay faces.

Coach Ocean Chow had no doubt the victory was well earned, despite acknowledging that Club were under-strength.

“We executed our plan for defence, and built on that,” he said. “Our scrum was strong today, earning us several turnovers. We have been working on our tackling, and today made a lot of good tackles, keeping low. We played our own style: quick ball and quick out of the ruck without overcommitting.

Chow credited the win to his players attitude, saying, “they are fit and believe in themselves. They really wanted to win this one, after our record of going close against Football Club.

Football Club’s long-serving national team forward Royce Chan Leong Sze said, “Causeway Bay were catching us with fast breaks, putting on pressure [that led to points]. We simply didn’t have enough possession to win the game.”

“Today’s loss changes the complexion of the rest of the season for Football Club. Rather than looking up, to a third-place/fourth-place tussle with Borrelli Walsh USRC Tigers, as both take on the two strongest sides in the Premiership, they now run the risk of a battle to hold on to fourth against a resurgent Football Club, just nine points behind and with easier games ahead.”

Chan observes, “It’s going to be challenging going into the last four games, up against the top teams, and with us having to cope with a number of injuries. This game gave us notice that we must toughen up and move on.”

Tigers solidified their hold on third place, ahead of HKFC, by overcoming Kowloon Ladies 61-10.

Kowloon coach Jonathan Ho was nevertheless pleased with his side’s defensive line speed, which he said caused Tigers problems, and led to their two second-half tries.

In the other Women’s Premiership game, CPM Gai Wu Falcons topped last week’s high-scoring win with a rampaging 94-0 victory over bottom club Comvita City Sparkle, putting down eight tries in the first half alone and fulfilling coach Lai Yiu Pang’s directive to his players to keep focused on making the most of every opportunity.