Lincoln City 1 were struggling with injuries and absences this week when they went head-to-head against Hinckley Hurricanes. However, Laura Forsey, Zoe Cooper, Beth Sullivan and Megan Samways all played for the Imps, whilst Emily Coulter made her first appearance since September.
As the game got under way, Hinckley’s tall Goal Shooter caused lots of problems for Lincoln City 1. The Imps also made some critical errors and struggled to feed the ball into attack, leaving the score 6-17 to Hinckley after the first 15 minutes. Lincoln City 1 started better in the second quarter though. The team’s attack was playing well with Laura Forsey putting some great shots up. Meanwhile, Lucy Heathershaw made a tip and interception as she fought to break down the Hinckley attack. The whole of the Imps’ team efforts were epitomised by Captain, Gemma Carter, who led by example, playing out of position at Goal Defence (GD) but still showing her versatility by giving great support in the centre court and producing a fantastic interception. Unfortunately the opposition already built up a good lead and Lincoln City 1 finished the quarter four goals behind, to trail 16-31 overall. The third quarter saw Megan Samways enter the court. Once again, Lincoln City 1 raised their game and continued to turn over possession. Emily Coulter was having a good game at Centre (C) with a few tips and an interception but unfortunately she landed off court. Hinckley changed their defence and Anna played well against their Goal Keeper. At the other end, Hinckley’s shooter missed a few shots but the Imps were unable to catch the rebounds due to her height. Although Lincoln City 1 lost the quarter by four goals again, it was a much better performance. As the last quarter began, the Imps were down 30-49 but Lincoln had the first centre, which meant they had a chance to close the gap and build some momentum. Unfortunately the team couldn’t convert but Hinckley’s shooter also missed and Lucy Heathershaw did exceptionally well to get the rebound. However, Hinckley turned over the ball again and this time they converted. Despite this, Lucy continued to have an excellent quarter. She pressurised the opposition for the remainder of the game, made at least three interceptions and managed to force Hinckley’s Goal Shooter (GS) into making mistakes, ensuring the Imps regained possession. Megan made a couple of good tips too and Emily Coulter picked up a loose ball on one occasion. Anna then stepped in on a shot from the edge of the semi-circle and scored. However, in the end it was not enough. The final score was Lincoln City 1 (the Imps) 38-65 Hinckley Hurricanes. Player of the Match went to Anna Gilbert for fantastic shooting throughout the game. Her form encouraged the rest of the team to battle through, especially in the second and third quarters. She also worked the ball around the attacking circle well. Carla Baker started her first game for Lincoln City 2 (the Imps) at Wing Defence (WD) in this week’s East Midlands Netball Regional League Division 2 game against local rivals, Brigg and District.
The Imps started strongly with Lizzie Saywell winning the Imps’ first duel of the match when she produced a fine interception early on. This was followed by a great interception by Zoe Cooper on the edge of the attacking ‘D’ shortly afterwards. Unfortunately, Lincoln 2’s drives towards the ball were too flat though, meaning they gave away possession on several occasions. This created opportunities for Brigg and District to successfully counter and Lincoln 2’s heads began to drop. The quarter finished with Brigg and District, 11-14 to the good. The second quarter saw some positional changes to the Lincoln 2 team. Megan Samways moved to Wing Defence (WD), Zoe Cooper to Centre (C) and Beth Sullivan to Wing Attack (WA). However, this didn’t stop Brigg and District starting the stronger of the two teams. Two fantastic interceptions midway through the quarter appeared to lift the Imps though. Brigg and District’s defence began to be pulled up for penalties as Lincoln pressed forward, whilst at the back Lizzie Saywell and Jade Houlton continued to work hard and makeeven more important interceptions. In a tight quarter Lincoln 2 were just edged out by just 3 goals. They trailed 20-26 at half time. The Imps began the third quarter well, scoring three goals in quick succession but the team’s performance began to dip and Brigg and District’s shooting was merciless. The Imps soon sank to a 9-goal deficit and it could have been more but for Lizzie Saywell, who was continuing to impress at Goal Keeper (GK), making yet more interceptions. An injury to Vicky Bayes then forced Lincoln City 2 to make some changes with Carla Baker coming back on at Wing Defence (WD). Megan Samways then made two brilliant interceptions but it was not enough for the Imps to close the gap. The score at the end of the third quarter was 27-37. In the final quarter, Lincoln City 2 applied great pressure, making numerous interceptions with Jade Houlton alone making three tips in a row as she fought to gain back possession of the ball. Driven on by the support from the bench the Imps gave it everything but unfortunately just couldn’t capitalise on the openings and turnovers they’d created. The final score was Lincoln City 2 (The Imps) 38-50 Brigg and District. For the third week running, Jade Houlton was voted ‘Player of the Match’ by the opposition. Meanwhile, Lizzie Saywell received ‘Best Player’ from the supporters on the bench for her numerous interceptions. Leicestershire’s Falcons Black’s ninth game of the season took them to Worcester Reds (02/12/12). It was a stressful journey to Telford Arts College but the team managed to take to the court, prepared and ready for the game. Key strategies to focus on in the first fifteen minutes were understood by all and after aphysical but patient first quarter the score reflected how hard the team had worked and well they’d implemented their tactics. Worcester Reds led by just a solitary goal at quarter time (11-10) and Falcons Black were satisfied with their performance and ready to push on in the next quarter. Still, the East Midlands team knew they had to be more clinical in attack and stronger in defence for the next fifteen minutes, especially as the first quarter had demonstrated just how strong Worcester Reds’ Goal Shooter (GS) was.
The second quarter saw Worcester Reds continue to apply pressure on Falcons Black and the home team managed to pick off some vital interceptions in both the mid court and defence. This gave Falcons Black’s opposition the opportunities they needed to increase their lead and the half-time whistle blew with the score 22-16 in Worcester Red's favour. The score line meant that Falcons Black were on the back foot during the third quarter and the team began to feel the pressure a little. This enabled Worcester Reds to reap further rewards and the score after thethird quarter was 34-21. A positive chat and encouragement from the bench was given at the break and with a couple of changes to the line-up made, Falcons Black re-grouped, ready to take to the court for the final quarter. The team looked to challenge Worcester Reds at every opportunity but unfortunately the home team's strength shone through. Their good feeds into the shooter and their physical defensive duo broke down Falcons Black’s attacks on a number of occasions, resulting in a final score of Worcester Reds 46-23 Falcons Black. Although the team lost there was also a real sense that everyone was supporting each other, both on and off the court. This team spirit will stand Falcons Black in good stead as they look work on new strategies during training in the forthcoming weeks. This week saw the return fixture of Nottingham Knights against Sleaford Barge in the East Midlands Netball Regional League Division 2 (02/12/12). The game had all the signs of an enthralling counter and had been eagerly anticipated since Sleaford Barge’s victory by a solitary goal in their previous September clash.
The game started with both sides matching each other goal-for-goal. However, as the first quarter drew to a close, Nottingham Knights began to take control. Their strong defensive pressure and accurate shooting helped them take a 17-11 lead into the first break. Knights came out 'all guns blazing' in the second quarter, turning over ball in Barges' attacking third and effortlessly working the ball down to their shooters. Despite tight defending from Barges' circle defenders, patience and accurate feeds allowed Knights’ shooters to convert. Time was called by Barge towards the end of the second quarter and resulted in a substitution. The break in play wasn't enough to unsettle Knights though and the second quarter ended with the team leading 31-21. The third quarter score matched that of the first (17-11), which meant that Knights took a strong, 16-goal lead into the final fifteenminutes (48-32). The fourth quarter was the closest of the game with Sleaford Barge working hard to close the gap. However it wasn't enough. Consistent play and precise shooting saw Nottingham Knights take the game 64-45. All in all, four consistent quarters from Nottingham Knights resulted in an impressive score line, compared to the tight first fixture. Sleaford Barge voted Nottingham Knights’ Fiona Hale (Goal Attack, GA) as their Player of the Match. Nottingham Knights team: Katy Mee (Goal Keeper, GK); Justine Drury (Goal Defence, GD); Samantha Carter (Wing Defence, WD); Daniella Gatt (Centre, C); Sophie Reed (Wing Attack, WA); Fiona Hale (Goal Attack, GA); Sophie Artley (Goal Shooter, GS). Pennine made a promising start in today’s East Midlands Netball Regional League Division 1 match against Leicestershire’s Bluetits, with some solid defence, and positive attacking moves (18/11/12). However, some unforced errors meant that the team had slipped to an eight-goal deficit by half-time.
The Derby-based team showed that they were a match for Bluetits in the third quarter though. Pennine’s Becs Grundy and Elisha Cooper were excellent in their marking of the Bluetits’ shooters and although the Leicestershire team had more shots at goal, their accuracy was dramatically reduced because of the pressure applied by the two Pennine players. Meanwhile, Pennine were more efficient in their shooting. They had fewer shots but the ones they took were converted well. Bluetits were able to regain the momentum in the final quarter though and eventually took the match 38 - 20. It was a disappointing result for the Derby team but nonetheless an improvement on the last time the teams met at the start of the season. On Sunday 18th November Falcons Black played third in the table, Kent’s Telstars Netball Club, in what turned out to be a nail-biting England Netball Premier League Division 2 encounter.
Playing high-flying Telstars was always going to be difficult for Falcons Black. Injuries meant the squad was somewhat depleted and only seven players were available for selection. However, the disappointment of last week’s loss ensured that the Leicestershire-based, Falcons Black team came out fighting. The players did themselves proud and worked hard for one another on the court. In this season’s previous games, matches had been lost during the first quarter, so it was important that the Falcons Black team started strongly. And started strongly they did. In the first quarter there were some great feeds from Wing Attack (WA) Katie Flaherty to both shooters and at the other end of the court Jade Forbes-Wattley (Goal Keeper, GK) and Lauren Steadman (Goal Defence, GD) turned the ball over numerous times to create multiple attacking opportunities. It was the best first quarter that Falcons Black had played all season and they deserved their two-goal advantage at the end of the 15 minutes. Falcons Black 12-10 Telstars. Quarter two saw both sides make mistakes and miss shots whilst under pressure but these periods were balanced out by other periods of fantastic netball. The score remained close despite Telstars scoring three goals without a Falcons Black reply. Falcons Black’s Hannah Joseph, playing Centre (C), worked tirelessly to move the ball from defence to attack in a composed manner and she linked well with Sofija Djokic, at Wing Defence (WD), to get the ball out safely. Some more forced errors at crucial times allowed Telstars to gain a one-goal lead as the quarter finished, Falcons Black 23-24 Telstars. At half time, Telstars made some changes and it took Falcons Black a few minutes to settle again and bring the scores back level. Falcons Black’s defence continued to force Telstars into mistakes but they struggled to capitalise on these opportunities and it allowed Telstars to stay in the game. Telstars upped the defensive pressure, forcing Falcons Black to play backwards in order to move forward again. Falcons Black’s Christie Simpson then took a knock to the head but the time out worked to the Loughborough team’s advantage. Falcons Black composed themselves and figured out how to overcome Telstars’ tactics and quarter 3 finished with Falcons Black still trailing by only one goal. Falcons Black 33-34 Telstars. After a motivational speech from Falcons Black’s coaches Kaylea McQuade and Donna Swann, Falcons Black went into the fourther quarter knowing they had to give everything to come away with a win. Katie Flaherty moved from Wing Attack (WA) to Centre (C), with Hannah Joseph moving to Wing Attack (WA). The final quarter and therefore the match would be won by the team that could keep their composure. The ball travelled from end to end with both Falcons Black and Telstars shooters converting their chances. It was goal for goal. But then Falcons Black made the first mistake by losing the ball. Jade Forbes-Wattley and Lauren Steadman gave their best efforts to get it back but Telstars gained the first real advantage of the quarter. The clock was ticking and with only three minute left Falcons Black were down by two goals. Sofija Djokic stepped up to the plate and applied some great pressure to Telstars Wing Attack (WA), forcing her into making errors. Suddenly, Falcons Black’s defensive pair were finding easy turn overs. Lauren Steadman took a great interception at a vital time and Falcons Black were able to carry the ball down the court and convert this into a goal. With just forty seconds to go, the scores were even and it was a Falcons Black’s centre pass. All four of the Loughborough team’s attacking players remained calm and carried the ball to shooter Helen Hancock. A long distance shot was risky but necessarily and as it went through the net, the Falcons Black bench roared. It was now the defenders time to shine. As the clock counted down, all of the Falcons Black players dug deep and found their last spurts of energy to delay Telstars’ players. It was not over though, Telstars Goal Shooter (GS) had a chance to shoot and as the ball was in the air the umpire’s final whistle was blown. Despite the shot going in, Falcons Black were victorious by one goal. Final Score: Falcons Black 45-44 Telstars. Starting seven: Helen Hancock (Goal Shooter, GS), Christie Simpson (Goal Attack, GA), Katie Flaherty (Wing Attack, WA), Hannah Joseph (Centre, C), Sofija Djokic (Wing Defence, WD), Lauren Steadman, (Goal Defence, GD), Jade Forbes-Wattley (Goal Keeper, GK) Despite a strong start, Lincoln City 2 (The Imps) struggled to maintain their consistency during their clash with Derbyshire's Iceni in this week’s round of East Midlands Netball Regional League Division 2 games (18/11/12). Iceni looked like a well-rounded and assured team and they managed to capitalise on many of Imps' mistakes to emerge with a convincing win.
Lincoln City 2’s team, which was once again depleted, due to illness and injury, began the game with some vigour, managing to convert their own centres and capitalise on many of Iceni's early mistakes. The Imps briefly got their noses in front thanks to some accurate shooting from Vicky Bayes and Laura Forsey. The shooters were fuelled by Zoe Cooper and Megan Samways, who both kept their composure under some difficult Iceni defensive pressure around the circle, to provide excellent feeds. Lincoln City 2’s defensive unit was also in fine form, applying the necessary pressure to force several weak feeds into the circle and secure many turnovers. The quarter finished 11-10, and the Imps left the court feeling hopeful that their high performance would continue. The second quarter saw Lincoln City 2's defence struggle to pick off the accurate feeds deployed by Ex-England Captain and Loughborough Lightning Coach, Olivia Murphy, resulting in goal after goal being converted by a meticulous Iceni attack. The Imps' shooters were also under increasing pressure from their opponent's long reach and to confound matters, an injury to Megan Samways forced the Imps into some changes. Jade Houlton dropped back to Goal Keeper (GK), Zoe Cooper claimed the Centre (C) bib and Charlotte Bayes took to the court in the Goal Shooter (GS) position, to play alongside her sister. At half-time the score stood at 25-16 in Iceni’s favour and the Imps left the court disheartened but certainly not defeated. The third quarter progressed much the same way as the second. The Bayes sisters continued to move well in attack but opportunities to net the ball were rare and Iceni continued to apply immense pressure and capitalised on every Lincoln City 2 error, no matter how small it was. The Imps did manage to convert a couple of turnovers though, including one from a particularly impressive Laura Forsey interception, which helped the team score three on the bounce. The Imps made another slight reshuffle before the start of the fourth quarter, which saw Lizzie Saywell take the Wing Defence (WD) bib and Megan return to Centre (C). Jade Houlton, voted ‘Player of the Game’ by Iceni, managed to turn the ball several times in what proved to be a low scoring fifteen minutes as both defences were on top (9-4). The Imps continued to battle hard and walked away with what could prove to be a vital point at the end of the season. The final score was Iceni 47-29 Lincoln City 2. Next up for the Lincoln City 2 ladies is local rivals, Briggs and District, in what is sure to be a heavily-contested and potentially crucial game. Sunday 18th November saw Nottingham Knights take on Grasshopper Netball Club in their East Midlands Netball Regional League Division 2 campaign:
The first quarter saw the game progress goal-for-goal, with Knights narrowly taking the lead by a solitary goal after the first quarter (13-12). However, the second quarter saw Knights find another gear and the team began turning balls over in the mid and defensive thirds, ensuring they took a 28-19 lead into half-time. Nottingham Knights made shooting changes during the interval by bringing on youngster, Gaby Titley-Wilson. The Nottingham team continued with their fast-paced game during the third quarter, to win it, 17-7, and take a 45-26 lead into the final quarter. Leicestershire’s Grasshoppers made some defensive changes for the final fifteen minutes, which hampered Knights’ efforts in getting the ball into their shooters. However, Knights maintained their lead to finish the game 59-42. Grasshopper Netball Club rightly chose Nottingham Knights’ Iman Thomas as their Player of the Match. The fifteen year old made numerous interceptions and consistently fought for the ball at Goal Defence (GD). Knights will be looking to continue their winning streak in a couple of weeks when they take on Lincolnshire’s Sleaford Barge, where they hope to avenge a one-goal loss from their previous encounter. The return match of this season started very closely, with Nottingham Knights and Grasshoppers scoring neck and neck at either end (18/11/12). Grasshoppers were leading for the majority of the quarter and Beth Smith looked particularly confident at Goal Shooter (GS), making life difficult for the Nottingham Knights’ defence. However, the Leicestershire team were pipped at the post in the final minute, to trail 12-13, after the first quarter.
However, due to some superb athleticism and link-up play by Nottingham Knights’ Centre (C), Danni Gatt, alongside some faultless shooting in their attacking end, Nottingham Knights romped away with the second and third quarters to lead 27-45 going into the final quarter. Grasshoppers rallied for the last fifteen minutes and won the quarter, 15-14. However, it was too little too late and Nottingham Knights ran out final winners 42-59. It was a great, well-contested and well-umpired game. The Grasshopper “Player of the Match” went to Beth Smith at Goal Shooter (GS). For more information about Leicestershire’s Grasshoppers, please check out their website: www.grasshoppernetballclub.co.uk Sunday 18th November saw East Midlands Netball Regional League Division 2 team, Iceni, take on Lincoln City 2 at Loughborough University’s Sir David Wallace Sports Centre. The first quarter was fairly evenly fought with both sides having a few wobbles early on in the game. However, by the end of the first quarter, Iceni led by one goal (Iceni 11-10 Lincoln City 2). Iceni then upped their game and increased their lead to 25-16 at the end of the second quarter. The Derby-based team continued to streak ahead in the third quarter, winning it by 15 goals to 7 to take a 40-23 advantage into the last fifteen minutes. Iceni then finished the game off with an impressive winning score of 49 goals to 27.
Iceni played well as a team with strong defensive plays and equally strong attacking moves. Iceni’s Player of the Match went to Jayne Harrison. |
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