Tigers fight to the last….
Liskeard Tigers 33 - 36 St Austell [4]
The newly promoted Liskeard Tigers were nervous of their first home fixture in Division 2 of the Cornwall Netball League.
Tigers were back to full strength and the starting line up was Kirstie Chappell (GS), Sophie Hocking (GA), Jo Glossop (WA), Charlotte Randall (C), Lauren Finch (WD), Holly Lemon (GD) and Lucy Smale (GK).
St Austell started off confidently, turning over Liskeard's centre pass and forcing the Tigers onto the back foot. Liskeard's defence struggled with St Austell's shooters who worked the ball well around the circle edge and led the first quarter 7-11.
Liskeard knew they had to adapt their play and force the errors by St Austell. GD Lemon and GK Smale stepped up the pressure on the shooters and started to get a handle on their play. The defensive work that Coach Hocking had done on the team started to show with Finch and Randall combining, doubling-up on the GA and coming out with many turnovers. However, the Tigers didn't always capitalise and were behind at half-time 14-19.
Christina Broad replaced Chappell for the second half in GS. With Broad netting some long-range shots this inspired the whole team and everyone upped their game. Hocking and Broad settled quickly and despite being closely marked, Hocking had the better of her GD this half.
Finch worked hard in the defensive third and was constantly on-hand in the mid-court to feed down the turnovers. The Tigers adapted their tactics and began to look and feel like the stronger side. Randall picked off interceptions down the court as the young St Austell side felt the pressure of the now dominant Tigers.
Starting the last quarter 25-29, the Tigers knew this was their game to win. Both teams held their composure and were goal for goal for most of the quarter. Glossop and Randall fed some fast balls down the Court allowing the shooters the chance to claw back the deficit. Tigers were within 2 goals as GK and Player of the Match Smale overpowered the GS, and the ball was contested hard by both players as neither were prepared to let this battle result in a loss. However, St Austell just edged it at the end, winning the game 36-33.
The Tigers were pleased with their efforts, maintaining composure throughout and causing an uncomfortable win for St Austell.
England star scores netball first
England shooter Rachel Dunn made netball history with the first four-point goal in her side's 36-16 win over Samoa in the World Netball Series. Dunn scored from outside the circle during a Power Play quarter, part of Fast Net, which has been dubbed the netball equivalent of Twenty20 cricket. The World Netball Series in Manchester is the first time the new Fast Net format has been trialled at this level. It includes shorter quarters, rolling substitutions and new scoring rules. Dunn's lob, from outside the traditional shooting area, would normally earn two points under the Fast Net rules, but in a Power Play any goal is worth double points. Samoa, participating despite the effects of a recent tsunami on the country, kept in touch with England during the first quarter, but the home side pulled away to a comfortable victory at the MEN Arena. |
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Story from BBC news