Team Bath Netball beat reigning Superleague champions to make it two from two at start of 2013 season
Team Bath’s netballers made it two wins from two with a thrilling one-goal victory over defending Superleague champions Manchester Thunder.
Team Bath edged Saturday night’s contest in Manchester 55-54, with Kadeen Corbin netting the decisive goal in the dying moments of the game after a strong team performance.
Jess Thirlby, Team Bath’s head coach, said: “It was great to beat Thunder on their own turf. We had to work hard for it though, and we’re not yet firing on all cylinder and there’s still plenty of room for improvement.
“This season is a journey for us and we need to keep demanding more of ourselves, starting on Saturday when we have another tough game at Surrey Storm.”
Thunder edged a keenly contested first quarter 14-12 and Thirlby shuffled her pack, moving Cookey out from goal attack to wing attack and introducing captain Asha Francis at goal shooter. Team Bath battled back to level up at 26-26 at half-time.
Cookey went back to goal attack for quarter three, with Yasmin Parsons on at wing attack. Thunder opened up a four-goal lead, but Team Bath then scored seven without reply to edge ahead again.
They couldn’t wrestle the initiative away from the champions, who went into the final quarter 41-39 up.
But Team Bath dug deep in the final quarter and although Thunder were two up with five minutes remaining, Team Bath exerted intense pressure in midcourt and accurate shooting from Cookey and Corbin ensured Team Bath took the spoils.
Northern Thunder v Team Bath
Quarter scores (Northern Thunder first)
Q1: 14-12 Q2: 12-14 (26-26) Q3: 15-13 (41-39) Q4: 13-16 (54-55)
Team Bath starting seven
GS: Kadeen Corbin, GA: Pamela Cookey, WA: Yasmin Parsons, C: Mitchie Ritchie, WD: Serena Guthrie, GD: Gemma Stewart, GK: Stacey Francis.
Q2 changes: Asha Francis to GS, Corbin to GA, Cookey to WA, Guthrie to C, Ritchie to WD. Q3 changes: Parsons to WA, Cookey to GA, Corbin to GD. Q4 changes: Corbin to GS, Francis to WA, Stewart to GD.
