Salisbury Rugby Club's women's team, also known as The Spitfires, produced a remarkable comeback win.
The ladies took on Bath University and produced a remarkable second half comeback to seal consecutive wins with the final score Bath 20 - 25 Salisbury.
The Salisbury Spitfires delivered a superb comeback performance on, overturning a 15-0 half-time deficit to claim a memorable 25–20 victory over Bath University 2nd XV and secure back-to-back wins.
Salisbury began the match on the front foot, spending the opening five minutes camped inside Bath’s 22. However, against the run of play, Bath’s influential fly-half exploited space to race the length of the pitch for the opening score.
Despite continued territorial dominance from the visitors, Bath proved far more clinical, adding two further tries before the break—one from a quick tap penalty and another after sustained pressure on Salisbury’s five-metre line. The Spitfires’ defence worked tirelessly, but Bath’s persistence told, sending the hosts into the interval with a commanding 15-0 lead.
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Knowing the score line did not reflect their efforts, Salisbury emerged for the second half with renewed purpose. Their intent paid off almost immediately, as Gemma Snell powered over just four minutes after the restart following slick interplay between forwards and backs.
The try injected fresh belief into the side, and moments later the Spitfires struck again. Natalie A’Bear broke brilliantly from inside her own half before scrum-half Niamh darted through and offloaded to centre Anais, who finished expertly in the corner.
Bath responded with a well-taken try from their pacey winger to extend their advantage to 20-10 with 15 minutes remaining, but Salisbury refused to fade. Snell produced another explosive run, setting up Emma Hughes to score a deserved try and narrow the gap once more. Despite Bath’s depth—fielding nine substitutes—it was the Spitfires who looked the stronger side in the closing stages.
With the clock ticking into the 75th minute, A’Bear produced the try of the match, collecting the ball on halfway and weaving through the defence for a sensational solo effort to level the scores at 20-20.
Salisbury sensed victory, and in the dying moments a crucial turnover allowed them to build phase after phase against a tiring Bath defence. From just outside the 22, A’Bear released Anais on a perfectly timed line, and the centre raced under the posts to complete a dramatic late comeback.
It was a performance full of character, resilience, and attacking flair from the Spitfires, who will look to continue their momentum when they host Bicester on December 7.
