IPSWICH Scorpions Women's Rugby Club withstood a desperate onslaught from their Bucking-hamshire hosts to exact delicious revenge for their humiliating 96-0 Junior Cup defeat by Chesham on the last occasion the two clubs met two seasons ago.

IPSWICH Scorpions Women's Rugby Club withstood a desperate onslaught from their Bucking-hamshire hosts to exact delicious revenge for their humiliating 96-0 Junior Cup defeat by Chesham on the last occasion the two clubs met two seasons ago.

Two well-deserved tries during Ipswich's first-quarter total dominance of their highly-regarded opposition – cushioned by three perfectly-executed goal attempts from the boot of Emma Arthurs – gave the visitors a 17-0 lead within the opening 20 minutes.

The scoreline may have been much different if Ipswich's lack of match fitness hadn't allowed the home side into the game.

And the pre-match favourites managed to sneak over the line for an unconverted try before the interval, despite dogged defending from the entire Ipswich XV.

The first points came from a penalty kick in front of the posts which Arthurs slotted.

From the restart Ipswich immediately wrested possession from a disjointed Chesham pack and worked their way into the hosts' 22, earning a scrum 15 metres out from which Angela Francis crashed through two tackles to score the first try of the contest.

Arthurs converted to establish a morale-boosting 10-0 lead.

Last season's leading league try-scorer Louise Brown was next to punish the

skittery Chesham backline, racing around from the centre to pounce for a try in the corner.

Arthurs produced the kick of the day from the touchline to give a 17-point cushion which Chesham were unable to claw back.

The hosts exposed Ipswich's fatigue as they began a 50-minute territorial domination.

But Ipswich's total commitment in defence prevented any second-half score as Liz Mitchell and Fiona Hain defended aggressively from left flank and number eight respectively.

Player-of-the-match Hain, new to Ipswich Rugby Club from Brisbane, Australia, this season, was outstanding in all departments.

Hain set up perfect ruck ball from both inside centre – where she started the match – or from the number eight position after she replaced the injured Francis in that role.

Captain Suzanne Norton, who earned Ipswich's player-of-the-season accolade last campaign, was as solid and assured as ever, while Hannah Green tackled well in the defensive workout that the game became.

New recruit Charlotte Sanderson acquitted herself well and the visitors' tight five established superiority early on and never relinquished it, Angela McGlennon in particular dominating every scrum.

The backline looked uncoordinated at times, a problem accentuated by Chesham's constant and unpunished trespasses offside.

The hosts delighted in turning over Ipswich's possession but were still unable to dent a promising away victory which bodes well for the newly-promoted Scorpions.

Ipswich's next match is at Humber Doucy Lane on Sunday against Worthing (2.30pm).