Jones hits treble as Gloucester charge on

By HARRY SCOTT-MUNRO

Gloucester-Hartpury…… 24pts

Tries: K Jones 4, 39, 43; Sing 64

Conversions: Sing 44, 65

Saracens ………………………..15pts

Tries: Campbell 17, Field 58, Grant 79

KELSEY Jones saw the best and worst of things as she scored a hat-trick but also saw red as Gloucester-Hartpury sealed victory to go top of the table.

Player of the match, second row Sam Monaghan, believed her side had put in a performance to be proud of.

“We knew we needed to bring the fight and the physicality this week and we did that from minute 1-80,” she said. “The support has been unbelievable and to hear The Shed cheering us on was brilliant. We wanted to concentrate on ourselves and find a perfor mance that we haven't found in the last few games.”

In a heavyweight clash between the league's two unbeaten sides, Gloucester-Hartpury started at a rate of knots, as they pounced on handling errors from Saracens to cross early through Jones.

Saracens are too good a side not to come back into it though and they came close on several occasions, as they were held up over the line twice, with Sydney Gregson also going close.

Gloucester's penalty count was continuing to rise, with Sisilia Tuipu lotu seeing yellow after the referee ran out of patience.

After yet another held up score, Sarries finally managed to get themselves level, as May Campbell crashed over from the back of a maul.

Gloucester continued to dominate and put the pressure on, with Poppy Cleall proving her side's saviour, with two crucial interventions to deny the hosts a second score.

The pressure continued to mount though, with Cleall then seeing yellow for collapsing a maul right at the end of the half, before Jones bagged her second right on the half-time whistle, to see her side take a lead into the break.

Jones was at it again shortly after the restart, as she rumbled over for her hat-trick to take her side two scores clear. Saracens continued to press and probe but the Gloucester-Hartpury defence, led impressively by Monaghan, continued to hold them out.

Sarries needed a moment to reignite their hopes and they found it as McKinely Hunt intercepted a pass in midfield and raced through.

Saracens were held up again, but Jones then saw red after a lengthy review period, after she hit Jess Breach in the head from an upright tackle.

Bryony Field then crossed for Saracens to close the gap before a superb solo try from Emma Sing took the game away from the visitors. Coreen Grant scored a consolation for Saracens, but the conversion was missed denying the Londoners a bonus point.