Final Whistle too soon for The Celtic Dragons

MATCH: NORTHERN THUNDER V CELTIC DRAGONS

VENUE: Castle Leisure Centre, Bury: Start 1400

UMPIRES: Debbie Morgan and Maria Webber

Q1: 11-8

Q2: 17-22

Q3: 32-29

Q4: 42-41

If the penalty shot on the final whistle had crept in then the Celtic Dragons would have nabbed another point at the bottom of the table in this cracking Co-operative Netball Superleague match in Bury. One more goal would send departing coach Sue Gaudion on her way with the team’s first draw and third point of the season, but it wasn’t to be.

Spectators were treated to end to end action and close scores throughout which was probably less appreciated on the bench. The first quarter saw the home side take a 3 goal lead, Karen Greig nailing her shots despite the attentions of six-footer Lyndsay Keable.

A more co-ordinated team approach to the second quarter was a banker for Celtic Dragons who managed an 8 goal turnaround to go into the half-time break 5 ahead. Northern Thunder’s error count was a little high, something to work on in training no doubt.

Karen Greig’s calm confidence in the circle helped the home-side start the second half on the right note as they sank six goals straight off and after seven minutes led the quarter 8-1. The arrival of Emma Dovey at goal-defence for Northern Thunder certainly boosted the team. She went on to earn the Co-operative Player of the Match award despite having trained that morning with England’s under 19 squad.

If we’ve learned anything this season it’s not to leave a match before that final whistle blows and not to write off the Dragons in the final quarter. The Welsh side hauled themselves back into the match to set up a thoroughly nail-biting finale. On the whistle Dragons won a penalty shot that would have tied up the result but Chrissie Munrow was unlucky to miss.

Northern Thunder captain Karen Greig, “it was a hard fought game but we kept our nerve at times when we could have crumbled, and kept coming back hard. This was a good win.”

Celtic Dragons were frustrated by how close they came to braking points in coach Sue Gaudion’s last match in charge before heading down under to Canberra. Her message to the team that has moved back off the bottom of the table into 8th was to improve their consistency. She told the squad they were consistent for three quarters of their matches and now need to concentrate for the whole match.

STARTING LINE-UPS

NORTHERN THUNDER

GS: Karen Greig

GA: Alexa Collier

WA: Krystal Gayle

C : Helen Browne

WD: Bev Lovatt

GD: Kate Smith

GK: Kerry Almond

SHOOTING STATS:

Karen Greig 28/37 = 76%

Alexa Collier 3/6 = 50%