THURROCK’S women returned to the top of the Championship with a resounding 43-17 win against Bath Ladies.

The T-Birds stamped their authority on this match from the first minute with a catch and drive that resulted in the first score for Leah Dixon, but two yellow cards for Thurrock and one for Bath disrupted the flow of the game.

Down to 14, Ts pressed forward and were awarded a penalty try, which saw Bath given another yellow card.

Back to full strength, Ts rattled off two quick scores for Tamara Nichols and Natalie Smith to end the half 24-10 ahead.

However, Bath kicked much better in the second-half to turn the T’s defence and this changed the complexion of the game - 24-17.

Jodie Rettie was lucky to avoid a second yellow with Bath cranking up the heat and only desperate T’s scramble defence prevented another try, which might have levelled the scores.

This seemed to wake Ts up and they brought a renewed physicality and urgency that took them from their own try-line to Ami Parsad scoring at the other end.

Ts took the game by the scruff of the neck and Sophie-Jane Tyler and Parsad grabbed another score each before the end to secure the bonus point.

The T-Birds welcome Plymouth on Sunday at 2:45pm.

Thurrock: Hepper, Duffy, Pugh, Nichols, Franklin, Dixon, Durrance, Dyche, Cook, Rettie, Smith, Tyler, Longdon-Hughes, Lawther, Parsad. Replacements: Baker, Cook, Shaw, Picton L, Picton F >Anyone wishing to give rugby a go can turn up on a Wednesday evening for training at 7:30pm.