TEAM NORTHUMBRIA 26-59 TEAMBATH 2pm, 29th January, 2011 Sport Central, Uni of Northumbria, Newcastle
Team Northumbria put on a good show against current champions TeamBath, for their opening Fiat Netball Superleague at their brand new venue, Sport Central in Newcastle. It was TeamBath’s first match of the 2011 season and Tracey Neville’s new recruits gave them a tough test in the first half.
Going on the stats, you would be forgiven for thinking that Team North had played a similar game to their outing in Guildford at the Surrey Sports Park a week earlier but the side had stepped up from that. Bath only really extended their lead in the final quarter after a textbook display of defensive play in the circle in the third.
Team Northumbria were six goals behind by the end of the first quarter but held firm in the second to draw 10-10, helped by a number of missed shots from their opponents.
Goals were hard to come by for the home side in the second half, as being able to get the ball to their shooters proved problematic. Impressive England defenders, Stacey Francis and Eboni Beckford- Chambers shut down the flow of ball into the D in the third quarter where Marie Ewing didn’t get a shot, and Lisa Stanley was only allowed six, she netted five. The Englanders are getting better with every match which is great news for the national team, perhaps making competition for places in the starting 7 more fierce than it’s ever been.
Team Northumbria’s head coach Tracey Neville said after the game that TeamBath just wore down her side but admitted being impressed with the way her squad started the match. “I don’t think Bath expected us to come out like that” she said. “We were looking to build on last week and we had a great first half, but it’s very hard when every change by the other team involves another England player.”
“There were some great performances out there, Abi Ryan and Tessa Burton both had good games. I wanted the side to step up after the game with Storm and they’ve gone away and learned.”
Head Coach of TeamBath Jess Garland was pleased from start to finish with her team’s Fiat Netball Superleague opener but admitted, “we used possession more effectively in the second half, but it was a true building performance. I was encouraged by the amount of changes throughout the game and it was good to come away with a significant win in our first match of the season.
“We were wasteful with our gained turnover possession in the first half and it took us a while to capitalise on that.”
The coach praised Katy Rose’ solid performance on her first top-flight start, Asha Tett for her efforts at WA and Kirsty Delves who finished strongly at GS.
Lisa O’Sullivan
CONTACT: Lisa O'Sullivan [email protected] mobile: 07977 051499 England Netball Match Reporter
