Young Edinburgh side fall to clinical Gwalia Lightning

The final scoreline perhaps failed to reflect the competitive nature of the first half, where Edinburgh’s young side stood toe-to-toe with their Welsh counterparts, heading into the tunnel trailing by just five points at 7-12.

The visitors found the breakthrough after 18 minutes when the powerful Maisie Davies, who would go on to claim the Player of the Match award, forced her way over the line.

However, Edinburgh responded with composure and a sustained period of pressure that tested the Gwalia defence to its limit.

That persistence was rewarded when the referee had no choice but to award a penalty try after the Lightning illegally collapsed a surging lineout drive, briefly handing the home side a 7-5 lead.

While Davies managed to wrestle over for her second try just before the interval to reclaim the lead for the visitors, Edinburgh remained very much in the contest at the break.

The second half proved to be a different story as Gwalia’s experience and a formidable bench began to take control of the match.

It took only a minute after the restart for captain Bryonie King to cross the whitewash, extending the lead to 7-19 and shifting the momentum firmly in the visitors’ favour.

As the half progressed, Edinburgh found themselves pinned back by a clinical tactical kicking game that made it incredibly difficult to break out of their own territory. Despite battling for every ball, the pressure eventually told.

Lock Lily Terry secured a brace, while scrum-half Sian Jones and replacement Catherine Richards added further scores to add gloss to the final tally.

While it was a bruising second period for the young Edinburgh squad, they must now dust themselves down and focus on the immediate future.

The side returns to Hive Stadium next weekend for a crucial, do-or-die clash against bottom-of-the-table Brython Thunder, where they will be determined to turn their undeniable potential into a vital victory.