Northern Thunder came out on top in an even contest which saw impeccable finishing from both sets of shooters on Saturday.
Three shooters in this sizzler netted 90% or more of their shots during a superb test of netballing talent.
Team Northumbria shooter Alex Wood was outstanding, two perfect quarters and just two missed shots in the match gave her a 95% shooting success rate across the game.
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In a contest which that was proving difficult to separate the two sides, Northern Thunder produced 15 more chances at goal than their excellent opponents, pulling away in the final quarter.
The scores were locked at 12-apiece after the first fifteen minutes, while the second quarter saw a perfect performance from Team Northumbria’s shooting pair.
At the other end of the court it was another good match for young Charley Beenham, who was also faultless with 11 from 11 in the quarter to finish the half with 19 goals from 20 attempts.
The Thunder’s team management chose to play their ace by switching the bibs for England pair Jade Clarke and Sara Bayman, who are able to turn a match.
While Bayman was able to slow the amount of ball going into Northumbria’s circle, Northumbria’s netting accuracy stayed very high.
The final quarter and thereby the match was decided by just a couple of turnovers.
The home side continued to play very well, but maybe sensing a possible victory, lost a little of their composure and failed to create as many chances as their opponents.
Thunder’s experienced line up were able to dictate the pace of the game, and created more attempts on goal to win the final quarter 19-13.
“It was a hard fought match,” Northumbria coach Barbara Brown said.
“They lost us in the last half of the final quarter, until then we were confident we could win.
“I think heads went down when a couple of decisions went against us, but it is always tough against Sara Bayman, as she is so influential.”
Nick Grounds, Sportsister
The Women’s Sport Magazine
