Hope Chamberlain sparkles despite SMC’s loss against high-flying Tigers

SMC won the toss, with Ellie Rogers taking the first centre.

It took both teams a while to settle into the game with netball going end to end before Tigers made the first score.

Some great linking play between the Tigers goal attack and goal shooter led them to a 5-1 lead in a short space of time.

SMC had two key players out, due to a broken nose and sprained ankle gained in the their last match, and took time to adjust to new playing positions.

Lynda Calvert, playing goal shooter for the first time in over two years, alongside Deanne Leng in her position as goal attack started to get their eye in and managed to bring the score back to 6-4 at the end of the first quarter.

Tigers had first centre in the second 10-minute quarter of the game and quickly took the advantage and scored a goal.

Lots of mistakes by both teams for footwork and contact meant the game was very stop start for a while.

Hope Chamberlain, SMC’s player of the match, made great interceptions at wing attack which helped SMC bring the score back to 8-7.

Tigers continued with some great defensive play but SMC managed equalised and a long range shot from the edge of circle by Leng took SMC into the lead for the first time as the game approach half time.

Again Tigers had the ball at the start of the third quarter and after a change of positions, moving their goal defence into a shooting position and bringing fresh legs on SMC didn’t get a look in for over five minutes.

Tigers took back the lead and stretched it to 19-9 before SMC got a shot at goal.

Despite SMC’s defence of Harriet Fawley, Janet Anderson and Annette Reid trying valiantly to step the flow of goals the changes made by Tigers gave them a 12-point lead at the end of the third quarter.

SMC came out positively, despite the score, and managed to add seven goals, compared to Tigers’ eight goals in the final quarter.

Quickly taken centre passes by Rogers and more great steals by Chamberlain made a real difference in this period of the game.

Coupled with some excellent shooting meant that the game ended SMC 19 Tigers 33.

With Tigers currently second in Division Two and SMC seventh, SMC were happy to come away with over half points in a game that could easily have been very different if they hadn’t managed to stem the Tigers shooting flow in the final quarter.

Both teams thanked the umpires, Helen Dukes and Cherene Simmonds for their time and Specialist Marine Consultants for the their continued support.

Katie Robinson was player of the match for Tigers.

Wasps claimed a 35-25 win at Lookout Sirens in the Scarborough Ladies netball League first division.

From the off both teams were end to end with Anna Hubery at GA for Sirens and Tilda Tomlinson at GK for Wasps both keeping their teams in contention.

Great interceptions from Sirens’ player of the match, centre Leanne Anderson helped give her team a 5-4 lead at quarter time.

The second quarter saw Wasps’ player of the match Alice Kirkup (GD) and Jen Simpson (GS) have an impact, forward thinking from Kirkup bringing the ball forward for Wasps enabling them to keep in the game.

Fortunately for Sirens, sponsored by Lookout on the Pier, Jaine Bickerdike was keeping the goals going in and staying in contention with it 13-13 at half-time.

Wasps made some important changes in the second half, Liz White at WD being one of them, with her forward thinking and interceptions helping her team into a slight lead but the determination of the defence of Sirens, Emily Castleton (GK) and Rach Pashby (GD), not giving up.

Play was fast and furious with neither team looking like outright winners by the end of the third quarter, Wasps leading 22-18.

The final quarter saw Wasps duo Simpson and Vicki Stewart at GA step up a gear with Stewart dominating her team’s centre court and circle play, making some excellent passes and some great shooting.

Despite the efforts of Sirens WD Bex Wilkinson and WA Clair Shield, Wasps won 35-25.