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13th May 2012 - Regional Playoffs
Trident’s superb season ended in disappointment as they missed out on returning to Regional League Division Two after the end of season play-offs in Bristol on Sunday. They began the round robin tournament excellently with wins over Abbey Meads (Wiltshire) 19-14 and Titans ( East Devon) 16-15. With fit-again goalkeeper Charlotte Budden dominant in defence and Polly Land shooting accurately, hopes remained high. Unfortunately a surprise 13-11 reverse to Datum (Avon), a defeat which ultimately cost Trident second position and a Regional League place, was followed by defeats against the two Dorset teams, Bournemouth and Poole Hoppers, who both qualified for the Regional League. A win against Old Chelts (Glos) proved to no avail as Trident were left to rue what might have been.
12th May 2012
Parkfield’s final Division One fixture ended with defeat against Sydenham’s Sapphires. Parkfield were behind from the start and, despite fine performances from Tanya Contreras and Rachel King, could not find their way back into the match going down 36-18. Nevertheless a mid-table finish after being promoted last season was a fine achievement by Parkfield who will be looking to progress even further next season.
9th May 2012
Hovelands finished their Somerset League Premier Division season with the narrowest of wins against Gems in Bridgwater to secure a well-deserved runners-up spot to Trident. However, once again they did it the hard way trailing for most of the match. They took a while to settle on the slippery outside court and were 24-18 behind at half-time. Hovelands gradually reduced the deficit but were still two goals adrift going into the final quarter With captain Kelly Sully excellently marshalling the centre court they eventually went ahead only for Gems to respond and open up a three-goal lead with little time remaining. Hovelands dug deep again to pull back and snatch a dramatic win by 42 goals to 41.
5th May 2012
Trident completed their 100% Somerset League Premier Division season with a comprehensive win over Knights of Glastonbury on Saturday at the Vale. It was one-way traffic from the outset as Trident dominated all areas of the court to build a 20-6 first quarter lead. With Polly Land again in excellent shooting form and Emma McCormack outstanding in defence, taking numerous clean interceptions, Trident finished comfortable 66-27 winners. Their season is not over, however, as they travel to Bristol on Sunday for the Regional League play offs when they will strive to regain the place they were so unlucky to lose last season.
Hovelands are now clear favourites to finish as runners-up to Trident in the Premier Division but once again they had to come from behind to defeat Jupiter of Bridgwater. Hovelands were quickly 7-1 down and still trailed 17-11 at the first break. They gradually worked their way back into the match and reduced the deficit to just a single goal at half-time. The third quarter proved decisive as Hovelands, for whom Steph Andrews and Lucy Sizer were both superb, pulled ahead to lead 43-32. The last period was evenly contested with Hovelands always in control to record a 55-45 victory.
Claremont finished their Division One season in style with a splendid win over promoted Wyndham of Yeovil. A surprisingly one-sided initial quarter saw Claremont take a 15-3 lead from which Wyndham never recovered. Lucy Lowe and Nicky Towell combined brilliantly in the shooting circle and, with Cathy Alderson dominant in defence, Claremont completed a 49-28 win.
Conversely Parkfield could not finish with a win as they went down to a strong Dukes team. Parkfield were only 10-7 adrift after the first quarter but that was as good as it got for them and, despite fine performances from Heidi Kohlman and Tanya Contreras, they were well beaten 43-22.
Newbarn were already assured of their best ever season when they took on Walton Blacks but they were in no mood to let their standards slip. The young team played superb netball throughout the match and, with Becca Brunt excellent in attack and Danni Cross-Henley strong in defence, Newbarn ran out comprehensive winners 54-10.
21st April 2012
After clinching the Somerset League title the week before, Trident made it a double winning the Knock Out Cup by beating Gems of Sydenham in the final at the Vale on Saturday. They began well to build an early lead and were 16-10 ahead after the first quarter. With goalkeeper Charlotte Budden playing superbly Gems’ attack were given few opportunities as Trident extended their lead to 29-16 at half-time. To their credit Gems refused to accept the match was lost and it was goal for goal in the next period but Trident were still 41-29 in front going in the final quarter. However, with Laura Phelps dominating the centre court, picking up numerous interceptions, Trident remained well in control and took the trophy winning by 54 goals to 35.
14th & 16th April 2012
Trident are the new Champions of the Somerset League after two wins in three days but they were made to work hard for the title having to come from behind in both matches. On Saturday they fell four goals behind in the early stages against Vivary and still trailed 10-8 after the first quarter. They managed to level the scores at 21-21 at half-time and then, led by inspirational captain Alex Ireland at wing attack, they dominated the next period to open up a 38-27 lead. Although Vivary pressed at the start of the final quarter, Trident pulled away to win 57-41. On Monday they met Galmington clubmates Hovelands, who were the only team who could now mathematically catch Trident, and a close first quarter saw Trident hold a slender 10-9 lead. Hovelands, with Becky Feetenby and Steph Andrews combining excellently then took a 22-17 half-time lead which they extended to 39-27 in the third quarter as Trident struggled to cope with the superb shooting of Jade Clarke. However, positional changes for Trident resulted in a complete turnaround as the shooting partnership of Vic Beach and Nicky Ferguson allowed Trident to dominate the last quarter to win a magnificent match 50-45.
On Saturday Hovelands enjoyed a comfortable win over Bridgwater’s Neptune. Hovelands, for whom Sharon Chester was again excellent in defence, controlled the first half to build a 30-14 lead. Although Neptune responded well the speed and accurate shooting of Lucy Sizer ensured that Hovelands were never seriously challenged as they completed a 65-41 victory.
In Division One Claremont made a strong start against Tone, and, with Lisa Manley shooting superbly, they opened up a 15-5 first quarter lead. As hard as Tone tried to find a way back into the match, the early damage had been done and, with Jo James dominant in defence, Claremont were victors by 44 goals to 26.
In the same division, Parkfield ended a run of poor results with a narrow win over Venus of Bridgwater. It was a close contest throughout with Parkfield just a single goal behind after the first quarter. Although Venus increased their lead to 25-21 at half-time Parkfield reduced the deficit to one goal again going into the last period. In a tense finish, Parkfield, for whom both Kate Northcott and Amy Evens had fine matches, took the lead and held on for a well-deserved 39-37 win.
31st March 2012
In the Somerset Premier league, unbeaten Trident travelled to Bridgwater to play relegation zone Neptune. Trident had a scrappy start, but despite this were 18-5 ahead at quarter time. The second half saw Trident settle into better netball, with Loxley King (WD) breaking down the Neptune attack and feeding strongly into the attack, but Neptune had also found their footing and the half ended with Trident only 28-15 ahead. Trident stepped up their game and with Emma McCormack (GD) taking some good interceptions, Trident surged ahead to lead 40-23 into the final quarter, and Neptune could only reply with 4 goals in the last quarter, with Trident taking a convincing 62-27 victory.
Also in the Somerset Premier League, Hovelands met Vivary in a local derby and it was goal for goal as both teams fought to get control of the match. Hovelands took a narrow 12-10 lead in the first quarter, despite their haphazard play which saw them making lots of unforced errors, and Vivary capitalised on this in the second quarter with some strong flowing netball, particulary from Vivary’s GD who picked up lots of interceptions, taking the lead 24-21 at half time. Starting the second half 3 goals down, Hovelands then converted 5 goals unanswered, with Steph Andrews (WD) taking some great interceptions and pressuring the Vivary attacking sequence. From this positive, Hovelands settled into their usual rhythm and ended the third quarter 38-31 ahead. Despite a great contest from Vivary, who fought hard to the end, Hovelands kept their heads and held on for a 49-43 victory.
In the Somerset First Division, Claremont met top of the table Sharks. Sharks took a narrow 10-6 lead in the first quarter, which they extended to an 18-9 lead at half time. Claremont rose to the challenge of reducing the deficit, by scoring 6 goals without reply, with some great play from Lucy Lowe (GA) and Tanya Contreras (GK) combining to narrow the goal margin so that Sharks only led 23-16 at three quarter time, but it was not enough and despite a great team effort, Sharks won 32-23.
A mid-table encounter between First Division teams Parkfield and Dolphins started evenly with Parkfield 7-9 down at the first quarter. Dolphins also had the edge in the second quarter moving 20-14 ahead. Despite a great team effort from Parkfield, and some great play from Zoe Robinson, Dolphins had victory in sight, and surged ahead 34-22 at three quarter time. Parkfield continued to fight hard, but Dolphins closed out the match with a 48-32 victory.
24th & 26th March 2012
Two wins in three days put Trident on the brink of the Somerset League Premier Division title as they seek a return to the Regional League. However, they did not have matters all their own way at Gems on Saturday. They found themselves five goals behind early on but dragged the score back to 8-8 after the first quarter. Trident were not at their best but moved three goals ahead at half-time before excellent defensive work from Charlotte Budden and Emma McCormack saw them move 34-24 ahead. They then held on for what was a scrappy 44-35 win.
On Monday they faced closest rivals Vivary and a brilliant first quarter finished with Trident 19-9 ahead with wing attack Alex Ireland outstanding and shooters Polly Land and Vic Beach combining superbly. Although the next two quarters were evenly matched Trident pulled away in the last period to win a well-contested match 58-43.
Hovelands enjoyed a comprehensive victory over lowly Harlequins. They dominated from the start quickly building a ten-goal lead. Playing out of position at centre Becky Feetenby controlled the mid-court as Hovelands went 30-14 ahead at half-time. Harlequins had no answer to the movement and shooting accuracy of Jade Clarke and Hovelands were comfortable winners 70-29.
Claremont kept alive their outside chance of promotion from Division One with victory over Sapphires in a low-scoring encounter. Claremont were just 13-8 in front at half-time but, with Jo James having another strong game in defence, they were always in control winning 25-16.
Parkfield suffered a disappointing defeat to bottom of the table Rubies in the same division. Behind 21-15 at half-time Parkfield could not find their way back into the match despite impressive performances from Rachel King and Tanya Contreras and went down 44-30.
Queensway were confirmed as champions of Division Three as they proved far too strong for a young Garnets side. Queensway were 18-1 ahead after the first quarter and, with Helen Hunter excellent at goal attack, they maintained their dominance throughout to win 75-5.
Newbarn had a much closer match against Ambers who seemed in control after the first period. Newbarn reduced the deficit to three goals at the halfway stage and then went into the last quarter one goal in front. They pulled further ahead before Ambers came back strongly. However, fine defence from Dani Cross-Henley, Lydia Reeves and young debutant Jaz Chester saw Newbarn hold on for a tense 26-25 win.
13th, 17th & 18th March 2012
Galmington completed their Regional League season on a high with their sixth win in eight matches as they enjoyed a comprehensive win over Exeter to secure a comfortable mid-table finish. With both first choice shooters absent through injury and illness Galmington took a while to settle but were never behind ending the first quarter 12-9 ahead. Seven goals without reply at the start of the second quarter saw Galmington stretch their lead and, although Exeter responded well, Galmington were still ten goals in front at half-time. They maintained their lead and, as the match progressed, they began to make their dominance count. Goalkeeper Helen Jones was superb in defence and, with Becky Squire controlling the centre court and Natalia Malessa feeding the shooting circle excellently, they pulled further away to lead 40-23. Galmington continued in the same vein in the last period to record another fine win by 58 goals to 31.
Trident reached the final of the Somerset League Knock Out Cup with victory over local rivals Vivary. Trident were quickest out of the blocks opening up a 16-6 lead only for Vivary to come back well to halve the deficit at the first interval. The next quarter began evenly before Trident again opened up a ten-goal gap to lead 32-22. Still Vivary would not lie down and, with Helen Lucas shooting excellently, they reduced the deficit to seven goals going into the final period. However, Trident then dominated the rest of the match with shooters Polly Land and Vic Beach combining superbly to book their final place with a 65-47 win.
Queensway secured promotion to Division Two with two excellent wins in five days. In midweek they faced Newbarn against whom they had suffered their only league defeat of the season. Queensway had much the better of the first half with Abbie Barker strong in defence as they built a 17-9 lead. The second half was a much closer affair with Zoe Robinson impressing in mid-court for Newbarn but Queensway had plenty in hand to close out the match 31-22.
Against Canons in Wells on Saturday Queensway trailed 5-1 but fought back to lead by a single goal after the first quarter. Wing attack Becca Brunt was finding the shooters with accurate passes but Queensway were still only 15-13 ahead at half-time. It was goal for goal in the last two quarters but excellent defending from Josie Barrett ensured her side held out for a tense 26-24 victory
10th March 2012
Trident chalked up their 15th consecutive Somerset League Premier Division win on Saturday but they were made to work hard by a spirited Yeovil 2nd string, Newton. Trident were only 17-13 ahead at the first break and just seven goals in front at half-time. However, with Nicola Ferguson (C), Jo James (GD) and Vic Beach (GA) all in excellent form, Trident pulled away in the second half to win 67-33.
Hovelands faced a tough match against Yeovil’s 1st team Babylon but started strongly and, with Becky Feetenby and Steph Andrews both playing brilliantly, built a healthy 18-11 half-time lead. Hovelands were still seven goals ahead going into the final quarter and managed to resist constant Babylon pressure to hold on for a superb 33-29 win.
In Division One Claremont hosted Dolphins and continued their recent unbeaten run with a comfortable win. Jess Metherell was in fine form controlling the centre court and, with Lucy Lowe driving strongly into the circle and shooting accurately, Claremont secured a 39-18 victory.
In the same division Parkfield were up against runaway leaders Sharks but a shock was on the cards at half-time with Parkfield leading 13-9 as Sharks were unable to find a way past outstanding goalkeeper Abbie Barker. Unfortunately the league leaders altered their tactics in the second half and this paid dividends as they turned the match around to win 31-20.
Queensway remain at the top of Division Three after another fine victory over potentially difficult opponents in Ambers of Sydenham. With Tracey Day dominant in mid-court Queensway opened up a 21-12 half-time lead and, although Ambers came back well in the third quarter, Queensway pulled away to win 39-24.
Newbarn proved far too strong for Garnets in the same division. The combined defensive work of Anna McLauchlan, Dani Cross-Henley and Lydia Reeves restricted the Garnets attack whilst the accurate shooting of the experienced Nicky Towell allowed Newbarn to take full advantage of all their possession to win 53-14.
28th Feb, 3rd & 4th March 2012
Galmington hosted recently crowned Regional League Champions Roman Glass of Bristol at the Vale on Sunday and it was the visitors who started the better taking an early lead. Galmington responded well to level at 8-8 but Roman Glass went back in front to lead 11-9 after the first quarter. At the start of the next period Roman Glass showed why they have won the league comfortably this season as they played superb netball to build a nine-goal lead. Again Galmington came back to reduce the arrears to five goals only for Roman Glass to restore their nine goal advantage before a fluctuating quarter ended with the visitors 28-21 ahead. Galmington put further pressure on the champions with Sam Newton in excellent form and nearing the end of the third period the deficit was down to just three goals. Unfortunately Roman Glass again upped their game and pulled away in the last quarter to win an excellent match by 52 goals to 40.
In the Somerset League Premier Division Trident moved one step closer to the title with a comprehensive win over Jupiter of Bridgwater. Trident built an early lead but Jupiter came back well and only trailed 16-11 at the first break. However, they were unable to cope with the superb shooting of Trident’s Polly Land as her team stretched their lead to 36-21. Trident continued to dominate the match in all areas and went on to complete an impressive 66-34 victory.
Hovelands enjoyed a similar win against Newton of Yeovil. They took command from the outset and had opened up a 30-18 lead by half-time. With Becky Feetenby excellent in defence Hovelands stayed in complete control for a comfortable 61-34 win.
In Division One Claremont made a dreadful start against Venus who scored six goals without reply. However, they quickly turned the match round to lead 19-15 at half-time. With Tanya Contreras and Sophie Hooley combining brilliantly in defence Claremont were able to pull away in the second half to win 43-29.
Queensway stayed on course for promotion from Division 3 by defeating Bridgwater’s Mercury. They opened up a 12-3 first quarter lead and, with Heather Manning in fine shooting form and Heidi Kohlman producing a series of pinpoint passes into the attacking circle, Queensway soon built a match-winning lead. The whole team again played well as they chalked up another win by 47 goals to 32.
Newbarn began strongly against Monmouth to take a 10-4 first quarter lead but their advantage was reduced to four goals by half-time. However, with Nicky Towell and Becca Brunt shooting accurately and Lydia Reeves controlling the mid-court, Newbarn dominated the second half to win 41-19.
25th & 26th February 2012
Galmington travelled to play high-flying Plymouth Pilgrims in the Regional League on Sunday looking for a fifth successive victory. A well-contested first quarter saw Galmington hold a narrow 12-11 lead before Plymouth took control to go 29-21 ahead at half-time. Galmington worked their way back into the match but still trailed by six goals going into the last period. With goalkeeper Helen Jones excellent in defence and Becky Squire, who moved from wing defence to wing attack for the second half, feeding the shooting circle superbly Galmington gradually eroded the deficit to draw level. With goals going with centre passes Plymouth then kept taking the lead only for Galmington to equalise. However, a turnover saw Galmington look likely to score the winning goal only for them to unluckily lose possession which allowed Plymouth to snatch a 49-48 in the dying seconds.
In the Somerset League Premier Division unbeaten leaders Trident faced a potential banana skin when they entertained Yeovil’s Babylon but a tremendous first quarter saw Trident build a 15-4 lead to calm any nerves. Although Yeovil found some form after that Trident continued to play excellently as a team and, with Loxley King impressive at wing attack and Polly Land shooting superbly, they were comfortable winners 56-38.
Hovelands also started strongly against Paulton A to open up a 14-6 lead. To their credit Paulton played well throughout the match but could not make any inroads into the deficit as Hovelands, for whom goalshooter Jade Clarke held her space well and shot accurately, recorded a fine 52-36 victory.
In Division One Claremont appeared to have the upper hand over Swans of Wells from the outset taking an 11-5 first quarter lead. Swans battled back but Claremont were still 28-24 ahead going into the final period. However, Swans piled on the pressure to take the lead only for Claremont to respond well to regain it. A tense finish could have seen either team win but in the end the spoils were shared in a 35-35 draw.
Queensway maintained their position at the top of the Division 3 table with a convincing win over Canons. Queensway were only 16-11 in front at the halfway point but with Kate Northcott strong in defence and Heather Manning shooting well at the other end, they pulled away to win 37-18.
Newbarn were unable to do Queensway a favour when they played host to promotion chasing Paulton B. The visitors’ experience proved invaluable as they were able to control the game from the start and, despite another fine performance from Lydia Reeves, Newbarn were defeated 49-22.
18th & 19th February 2012
Galmington travelled to Cheltenham to play second-placed Hucclecote in the Regional League on Sunday knowing they were going to have to be at their best if they wanted to continue their recent good run. A close first quarter ended with Hucclecote leading by a single goal and after a similar second period Hucclecote held a narrow 19-17 lead. The match continued in the same vein with both defences restricting scoring chances but Galmington levelled the score at 27-27 right at the end of the third quarter. It was goal for goal in the final period with Hucclecote taking the lead and Galmington equalising. It was only in the closing stages that Galmington, for whom both wing defence Becky Squire and goalshooter Beth Blackwell were excellent throughout, took the lead after a vital turnover. They then remained in control to record a superb win by 39 goals to 36.
Trident maintained their unbeaten Somerset League Premier Division record with a comprehensive win over Bridgwater’s Neptune. Having built a 21-8 first quarter lead, Trident pulled further away for a 40-18 half-time lead as Neptune had no answer to the speed of Alex Ireland (WA) and Vic Beach (GA) who combined superbly. Trident’s dominance continued in the second half and they completed a comfortable 76-39 victory.
In Division One Claremont opened up a 9-1 lead at Sydenham side Rubies and with Tanya Contreras strong in defence and Jess Metherall controlling mid-court they held a match-winning 24-9 lead going into the last quarter. With players carrying injuries they relaxed towards the end but had plenty in hand to win 26-18.
Newbarn’s Division Three match against Reckleford in Yeovil was an odd low-scoring affair. Just a goal ahead after the first quarter Reckleford dominated the next period to lead 12-4. Newbarn moved Sandy Clark to centre which changed the game as Newbarn, for whom Lydia Reeves had a fine match at goal defence, took a 14-13 lead into the final quarter. There were few goals in the last period but Reckleford snatched a 17-16 win with a goal in the dying moments.
11th & 12th February 2012
Galmington continued their recent excellent form with a superb win over Regional League rivals Team Bath, whose team included former England star Claire Elsley. After even early exchanges Galmington opened up a 13-9 first quarter lead. Galmington were playing well as a team, strong in defence, building attacks quickly but always regrouping patiently when necessary and making sure they scored when they had the opportunity. They increased their lead to six goals at half-time and remained disciplined under pressure to go into the final quarter 33-25 ahead. The teams traded goals for the first half of the last period before Galmington pulled away for a thoroughly deserved 47-35 win.
In a Somerset League Premier Division top of the table clash Trident visited Yeovil team Babylon and a slow start saw them trailing by five goals. However, they responded well to lead 11-10 at the first interval. Laura Phelps (WD) and Emma McCormack (GD) were both in fine form for Trident but there was little to choose between the two sides and there was all to play for going into the final quarter with Trident leading 32-30. Trident were able to maintain their lead and ran out winners of an exciting match by 44 goals to 39.
Hovelands had a much more comfortable victory over Newton at the same venue. They dominated from the outset to build a 30-12 half-time lead with Jo James excellent in defence and Steph Andrews (GA) equally influential in attack. Although Hovelands relaxed in the last quarter they still recorded a comprehensive 57-29 win.
Queensway stayed on course for promotion from Division Three with a fine win over Reckleford in Yeovil. With Tracey Day controlling the centre court, well-supported by Danni Cross-Henley, who took several interceptions, Queensway built an 18-3 first half advantage. The rest of the match was more evenly contested but Queensway were comfortable winners 30-12.
7th February 2012
Claremont and Parkfield met in a Division One midweek fixture played in sub-zero temperatures. Claremont had the better of the first half to lead 16-8. To their credit Parkfield, for whom goal defence Sophie Hooley was outstanding, came back well but Claremont finished on top to win 29-19.
4th February 2012
Trident faced Bridgwater side Saturn in the Somerset League Premier Division at the Vale on Saturday and found themselves trailing in the early stages but led 14-13 after the first quarter. Although they increased their lead to five goals at half-time Saturn again reduced the deficit before Trident found some semblance of form, with Nicky Ferguson controlling the centre court and Emma McCormack strong in defence, to go into the last period 38-30 ahead. Trident then pulled away to win 55-38 for a victory that was more difficult than it should have been.
Queensway had no such problems in their Division Three match against Monmouth taking a 17-4 first half lead with Kate Northcott impressive at goal defence. Although Monmouth came back strongly in the third quarter, Queensway, for whom Tracey Day played well at centre, regained control for a comfortable 39-16 victory.
In the same Division Newbarn had a close match against Mercury of Bridgwater. Newbarn were five goals in front at the halfway stage but Mercury came back well in the second half. Fortunately both Becca Brunt and Sophie Keitch shot well under pressure as Newbarn held on for a narrow but deserved 33-31 win.
28th & 29th January 2012
Galmington travelled to play Plymouth Marjon in a crucial Regional League fixture on Sunday. They made a good start to build an 11-7 first quarter lead which they extended to 25-17 at half-time. Plymouth pressed hard in the next quarter but Galmington stood strong until the home side scored six goals without reply to draw level at 32-32. Earlier in the season Galmington might have succumbed but their response was immediate as they went three goals ahead and brilliant disciplined netball in the final period, with shooters Laura Dyke and Beth Blackwell superb, saw them to an excellent and well-deserved 51-46 victory.
In the Somerset League Hovelands returned to form with a resounding Premier Division win over Knights of Glastonbury. Hovelands were quickly into their stride and, with goal defence Becky Feetenby in fine form, they held a comfortable 32-13 half-time lead. With goalshooter Jade Clarke holding her space well and scoring consistently Hovelands continued to dominate to win 64-28.
In Division One Claremont were in Yeovil to play promotion chasing Wyndham and trailed by just two goals after the opening period before a disappointing second quarter saw them fall 19-11 behind. They came back well in the second half with Sophie Hooley and Toni Smyth strong in defence but were unable to turn the match around going down 32-26.
21st & 22nd January 2012
Galmington produced their best Regional League performance of the season with a superb netball display against Raychem of Swindon at the Vale on Sunday. The match began evenly but Galmington gradually took command to open up a 16-10 first quarter lead. Lauren-Jade Griffiths was in excellent form at goal defence consistently breaking up the Raychem attacks and Sam Newton, playing in the unaccustomed position of centre, was finding space to set up goal scoring opportunities. By the start of the final period Galmington had increased their lead to 46-31 and ensured there was no way back into the match for Raychem by scoring eight goals without reply at the start of the quarter. With goal attack Laura Dyke’s movement and shooting accuracy proving too much for opposition, Galmington dominated the rest of the match to win 66-36.
Trident progressed comfortably through to the semi-final of the Somerset League Knock Out Cup by defeating Dolphins in Yeovil. They controlled the match from the outset to build a commanding 33-12 half-time lead with Loxley King outstanding in the mid-court. The match over as a contest, Trident went through convincingly 60-29.
It was a different story for Hovelands who travelled to Bridgwater to play Gems. Gems had the better of the first half to lead 20-15 but Hovelands were still very much in the match. However, despite a fine performance from goalkeeper Cathy Alderson, Hovelands fell apart in the second half and were soundly beaten 50-23.
Despite missing several regulars Claremont put up an excellent display in the Len Mills Plate at unbeaten Sharks. They only trailed by two goals at half-time with Zoe Robinson strong in the mid-court. Unfortunately Sharks resisted the pressure and went on to win 31-21.
In the Lower Divisions Cup 3rd Division Queensway led 2nd Division Hendford 17-15 at half-time. Hendford turned it round to go eight goals in front before Queensway, for whom Heidi Kohlman was excellent, came back strongly only to miss out narrowly on a semi-final place going down 37-34.
14th January 2012
Undefeated Trident hosted in-form Paulton A in the Somerset League Premier Division and quickly dispelled any chances of an upset as they took an 18-9 first quarter lead. With Laura Phelps taking numerous interceptions at wing defence and Loxley King feeding the shooting circle with pinpoint accuracy Trident stretched their lead to twenty goals going into the final period and, although they took both feet of the pedals, still had plenty in hand to win 63-48.
Claremont faced local rivals Quantock who found it difficult to find a way through Claremont’s strong defence in which Cathy Alderson was again excellent. With Lucy Lowe shooting well Claremont recorded a fine win by 38 goals to 25.
Parkfield were up against promotion chasing Swans in Wells and, despite taking an early lead, were soon trailing. The experienced Swans team pulled well ahead but Parkfield kept going and, with Kate Hemmings particularly impressive, secured a deserved point despite losing 47-25.
In Division Three it was a top-of-the-table clash between Queensway and Paulton B but there was only ever going to be one winner as Queensway dominated from start to finish. Experienced Jo James was outstanding at goalkeeper for Queensway as she controlled the defence circle enabling Queensway to win convincingly 58-25.
A young Newbarn side battled well against Canons in Wells but the home side, who have only lost one match all season, came out on top of a closely contested match by 37 goals to 30.
7th & 8th January 2012
Galmington’s propensity for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory this season continued when they travelled to play Weston in the Regional League on Sunday. Galmington began well and, with Sarah Brown controlling the mid-court and Lauren-Jade Griffiths strong in defence they built a ten-goal lead midway through the second quarter. The lead had eroded to six goals by half-time and to just two goals going into the final quarter. Once again they were unable to hold on and Weston snatched victory by the narrowest of margins, 46-45, in the closing minutes.
Trident faced Jupiter in Bridgwater and, after a close first quarter, pulled away to lead 33-18 at half-time. With Charlotte Budden outstanding at goalkeeper they went on to win 57-35.
Hovelands controlled their match against Saturn from the outset, opening up a 16-8 first quarter lead. Steph Andrews at wing defence and Lucy Sizer at goal attack were both in excellent form as Hovelands were comfortable winners by 53 goals to 33.
Claremont completed a hat-trick of wins against Bridgwater teams but it was a much closer contest against Venus. They had to work hard for their win but, with both Michelle Ley and Catherine Alderson impressive, they triumphed 39-31.
Parkfield found themselves trailing 10-8 in their match against Yeovil’s Wyndham but they managed to turn it round to lead 17-16 at half-time. A fine second half team performance especially from Jordyn Baker (GS) and Jess Metherell in mid-court saw Parkfield record an excellent 32-27 win.
Queensway continued their magnificent form with a comprehensive win over Walton Blacks. They dominated the match from the start and, with Amy Evens taking numerous interceptions and Heather Manning shooting accurately, won 53-15.
Newbarn only held a slender 11-9 first half lead against local rivals Priory but, with centre Zoe Robinson in fine form, pulled away to win by 32 goals to 23.
17th December 2011
Hovelands faced a tough Somerset League Premier Division fixture against local rivals Vivary at the Vale on Saturday and had the better of the early exchanges to take an 11-9 first quarter lead. There was little to choose between the sides and, although Hovelands increased their lead to 21-17 at half-time they still only had a four goal lead going into the final period and had had to reshuffle their defence having lost the influential Sharon Chester to injury. Vivary put pressure on Hovelands and closed the deficit to one goal but Hovelands were in no mood to relinquish their lead and, with goalshooter Steph Andrews in excellent form, they pulled away for a well-deserved 46-38 win.
Parkfield found an experienced Tone side too strong in Division One and trailed 16-9 after the first quarter. Despite impressive performances from Kerry Quirk and Rachel King, Parkfield could not find a way back into the match and were well beaten 56-28.
Newbarn fell to a disappointing defeat to Reckleford of Yeovil. Four goals adrift at half-time, Newbarn closed the gap to a single goal after the third quarter but could not turn the match around and went down 24-19.
10th December 2011
Trident made it seven wins out of seven in the Somerset League Premier Division when they travelled to Midsomer Norton to play Harlequins on Saturnday. It was a competitive match and Trident had to be at their best as they took a 16-12 first quarter lead. Harlequins were proving to be tough opponents and, although Trident extended their lead to 28-20 at half time, there was still plenty of work to do. The third quarter followed a similar pattern but with Lucy Sizer particularly impressive at Goal Attack, Trident pulled further ahead 45-33. However, it was not until the final period that Trident managed to take full control as they continued to play excellent netball to secure a fine win by 64 goals to 40.
Hovelands were away to Knights of Glastonbury and built a good 17-7 first quarter lead. With Sharon Chester, Lucy Tanner and Becky Feetenby dominant in defence for Hovelands they stretched their lead to 29-15 at half-time. In the third period Hovelands pulled away further to lead 43-25 and, although they relaxed in the last quarter, the points were secure as they recorded a 52-38 victory.
Claremont were in Wells to face promotion chasing Swans and narrowly trailed 11-9 after a well-contested first quarter. However, Swans began to take control in the next period as they increased their lead to 21-14. Despite a fine performance from Cathy Alderson in defence Claremont were unable to find a way back in to the match and were defeated by 44 goals to 28.
Parkfield visited Division One opponents Dukes of Glastonbury and the game started badly for them as they lost goalshooter Anthea Kerslake to an injury in the very first minute. Parkfield found themselves 8-4 behind after the first period and were still trailing 15-9 at the halfway point. With Kerry Quirk and Jess Metherall combining well in mid-court Parkfield came back strongly in the next quarter and reduced the arrears to just three goals going into the final quarter. Unfortunately Dukes withstood the pressure in the last period and Parkfield went down to a rather unlucky 32-27 defeat.
3rd & 4th December 2011
Galmington’s poor run of results in the Netball South West Regional League came to an end at the Vale on Sunday when they defeated Bristol team Crossbow but it was an extremely tense finish. The first quarter was evenly contested and ended with Crossbow holding a narrow 13-12 lead. However, Galmington were superb in the next period with Beth Blackwell in excellent shooting form and by half-time Galmington had opened up a 34-25 lead. Crossbow came back strongly at the start of the third quarter but, with goalkeeper Helen Jones picking up several important interceptions, Galmington weathered the storm and increased their lead to 47-36 going into the last period and looked set for a comfortable victory. However, Crossbow put real pressure on the home side, scoring five goals without reply. As Crossbow’s confidence grew so Galmington’s waned and the basic errors that have blighted their season returned. Gradually Crossbow reduced the deficit goal by goal and eventually in the dying seconds Galmington’s lead became just a single goal. Fortunately there was barely time to restart before the final whistle went leaving Galmington winners by 51 goals to 50.
Hovelands travelled to play Paulton A in the Somerset League Premier Division and trailed 14-12 after a high-scoring first quarter. They pulled back level 26-26 at half-time but Paulton finished the third period 39-34 ahead leaving Hovelands with much to do. With Kelly Sully controlling the centre court well they responded well to the challenge but fell just short going down 50-48.
Claremont opened up an 11-8 first quarter lead against Sydenham’s Rubies but had fallen 17-16 behind at the halfway point. Claremont still trailed 27-25 at the start of the third quarter but found their form just in time and, with shooters Heather Manning and Lucy Lowe taking full advantage of the numerous interceptions picked up, turned the match round to win 40-32.
Parkfield made a good start to their match against Dolphins of Yeovil building a 12-6 lead. Dolphins came back well but, with goal attack Helen Hunter finding excellent space in the circle and shooting superbly, Parkfield increased their lead to 27-16 at half-time. After an even third period Parkfield pulled further ahead to take the points with a fine 48-34 win.
26th & 29th November 2011
Hovelands progressed comfortably through to the quarter finals of the Somerset League Knock Out Cup with victory over Swans of Wells at the weekend. Hovelands began strongly and were able to build a 17-10 first quarter lead before pulling away to open up an unassailable 38-19 half-time advantage. Hovelands continued to dominate all areas of the court with wing defence Steph Andrews particular impressive as she picked up numerous clean interceptions and they went on to win by 76 goals to 41.
In the Sydenham Cup Queensway made short work of Paulton B as they proved far too strong for their Division Three rivals. Jordyn Baker was in excellent shooting form as Queensway stormed through the first quarter to lead 15-1. Paulton improved in the next period but Queensway remained in control to lead 25-6 at half-time. With the experienced Abbie Barker dominating the defence circle Queensway went through to the next round with a comprehensive win by 49 goals to 10.
Queensway maintained their position at the top of Division Three with a comprehensive midweek victory over Walton Greens. Queensway dominated the opening exchanges to build a 14-1 lead and extended this to 28-5 at half-time. With Heather Manning’s movement and shooting outstanding throughout Queensway were far too strong for Walton and went on to win by 63 goals to 11.
19th & 20th November 2011
Galmington suffered another disappointing and agonisingly close defeat when they travelled to lowly Exeter in the Netball South West Regional League on Sunday. Galmington made a slow start and found themselves 15-10 behind after the first quarter. They came more into the game in the next period but the basic errors which have plagued them all season were still prevalent as they reached half-time trailing 29-22. The third quarter saw Galmington put further pressure on Exeter but the home side’s accurate shooting was keeping Exeter ahead and Galmington were left with plenty to do as they went into the last quarter 46-36 adrift. With shooters Beth Blackwell and Sam Newton combining excellently they gradually reduced the deficit to just one goal and had a chance to draw level in the dying seconds but it was not to be as Exeter quickly moved the ball to the other end to score and condemn Galmington to a narrow 54-52 defeat.
If Trident were hoping for an easier match against Gems on Saturday, they soon found it was not to be as Gems went 6-1 ahead. Trident managed to turn matters around quickly and held a slender 16-15 lead after a high scoring first quarter. With Loxley King in superb form at wing defence Trident built a 29-25 lead at the halfway point but still had plenty of work to do against an impressive Gems team. The third period saw Trident take control and with Vic Beach again in excellent shooting form they opened up a 44-31 lead and went on to win by 57 goals to 41.
In Division Three Newbarn made it five wins in a row with a convincing victory over Walton Greens in Street. They only led 10-8 after the first quarter but dominated the next period to build a 28-9 lead. With Zoe Robinson ( C) and Lydia Reeves controlling the mid-court Newbarn proved far too strong for Walton and went on to win 54-13.
12th & 13th November 2011
Galmington travelled to Bristol to play unbeaten Netball South West Division One league leaders Roman Glass and started impressively to take an early three-goal lead. Roman Glass then showed why they top the table as they responded well to build a 12-6 first quarter lead. Galmington reduced the deficit to three goals early in the next period as both goalkeeper Lauren-Jade Griffiths and wing defence Becky Squire consistently won possession. Unfortunately the visitors were unable to capitalise on this making too many basic errors and Roman Glass increased their lead to 24-14 at half-time. In the second half Galmington showed that they can compete with the best in the league as they matched their opponents but the damage had been done and they went down to a 46-33 defeat.
Trident were given a tough test by Yeovil’s second string Newton and only led 12-10 after the first quarter. However, with Vic Beach picking up numerous rebounds and then shooting accurately, Trident opened up a healthy 28-17 half-time lead. They were able to control the last two quarters to maintain their 100% record with a 52-29 victory.
Premier Division team Hovelands were victorious over previously unbeaten Babylon of Yeovil. Hovelands trailed 8-6 after the first period but worked hard to go in at half-time 17-16 ahead. They stretched their lead to six goals in the third quarter but Babylon came back strongly and Hovelands only held a slender 27-25 lead going into the final quarter. Babylon put the Hovelands defence under severe pressure but goalkeeper Sharon Chester, brilliantly supported by Lucy Tanner, was superb and Hovelands were rewarded for an excellent team performance with a 37-32 win.
In Division One Claremont made a strong start to their fixture against Quantock, building a 10-4 early lead. The next two quarters were evenly contested but Claremont, whose defensive trio of Toni Smyth, Alison Mardon and Cathy Alderson combined excellently, managed to hold on to their lead and then extended it in the last period to win 36-26.
Parkfield began slowly against promotion chasing Wyndham in Yeovil and soon found themselves 4-0 down. They gradually worked their way back and went 12-11 ahead just before half-time. With Kerry Quirk controlling the centre court, Parkfield were able to maintain their momentum and they went on to win by 27 goals to 21.
Division Three leaders Queensway were far too strong for an inexperienced Priory team and dominated the opening quarter to open up a 15-1 lead. Kate Northcott was in fine form at centre constantly turning defence into attack and feeding the shooting circle accurately as Queensway went on to record a comprehensive 63-10 win.
Newbarn fielded a very young team to play Monmouth but they showed that the future of Galmington is in very safe hands as they defeated an experienced Monmouth team by 27 goals to 20. It was an excellent team performance with goalkeeper Dani Cross-Henley the pick of the players consistently thwarting the Monmouth attack.
15th November 2011
In the Somerset League Premier Division Trident maintained their perfect record, playing club team mates Hovelands, Trident managed to open up a 13-8 first quarter lead after even early exchanges and retained their five-goal advantage after the next quarter to lead 25-20. With Polly Pepperell in excellent shooting form Trident extended their lead to ten goals but Hovelands came back well to trail 37-31 going into the last period. Hovelands’ goalshooter Charlotte Budden was causing Trident problems with her quick movement and accurate shooting as Hovelands reduced the arrears to just two goals before Trident rallied again to pull away and win 48-42.
5th & 6th November 2011
Galmington played host to old rivals Plymouth Pilgrims in Netball South West Regional League Division One on Sunday. Plymouth, who had won four matches on the bounce and moved up to second place in the table, began strongly to open up a four-goal lead but Galmington responded well to finish the first quarter just 11-9 behind. The second period was one of fluctuating fortunes as Galmington pulled right back and took the lead only for Plymouth to rally and go ahead again. The lead then constantly changed hands until Galmington, for whom Beth Blackwell and Sam Newton were combining excellently in the shooting circle, opened up a 24-20 lead at the end of the quarter. It was end to end netball in the third quarter with Plymouth closing the deficit but Galmington then pulling away and the home side went into the last period holding a 33-28 lead. As expected Plymouth pressed hard at the start of the final quarter and drew level halfway through it. The Devon side then went three goals ahead and, although Galmington kept closing the gap to a single goal, Plymouth held on for a narrow 44-42 victory as the Galmington players were left frustrated after a game they really should have won.
Claremont started brightly against Tone to go 5-1 in front before Tone came back excellently to lead 16-13. Claremont went back in front in the next period with wing attack Karen Lewis feeding the circle accurately but again Tone, for whom goalshooter Helen Lucas was in superb form throughout, rallied to lead 29-23 at half-time. Tone then pulled away to open up a 40-28 lead and, although Claremont had a strong last quarter, Tone were deserved winners by 51 goals to 38.
Parkfield dominated the first period against Quantock to build a 13-3 advantage. An even second quarter saw Parkfield maintain their ten-goal lead which they extended to 29-16 in the third period as Tone were unable to make any impression on Parkfield’s strong defence in which goalkeeper Tanya Contreras was excellent throughout and Sally Perry (WD) consistently broke up the Tone attacks. It was a fine all round performance from Parkfield who went on to win 39-24.
Queensway stayed on top of the Division Three table with a comfortable win over Monmouth. Queensway were 9-3 in front after the initial period and increased their lead to 15-6 at half-time. With both Joanna James and Kate Northcott dominant in defence Queensway took full advantage of their extra possession and played some excellent netball as they pulled away to win 36-15.
29th & 30th October 2011
Galmington entertained Gloucester team Hucclecote in the Netball South West Regional League on Sunday and the match began slowly with neither side finding their rhythm. Hucclecote did open up a three goal lead but Galmington quickly levelled but trailed 8-7 after the first quarter. Wing defence Becky Squire was in excellent form for Galmington picking up numerous interceptions but Galmington were unable to make full use of their possession and went in 16-14 behind at half-time. Hucclecote made changes to their attack at the start of the third period and this appeared to pay dividends as they pulled away to lead 28-22. Squire moved to centre for the final quarter and the change seemed to work as Galmington soon reduced the deficit to just three goals but that was as close as they came as Hucclecote held on for a narrow 34-31 victory.
In the Somerset League Premier Division Trident visited Paulton and dominated the opening quarter to build a 17-5 lead. Vic Beach was in superb form at goal attack driving well into the circle and shooting accurately as Trident extended their lead to 34-13 at half-time. The match won, Trident were content to hold their lead in the second half to see out a comfortable win by 57 goals to 38.
Hovelands seemed strangely out of sorts in their match against Harlequins in Midsomer Norton and were 11-9 adrift after the first quarter. Matters did not improve as they slipped further behind to trail 22-15 at half-time. Harlequins stretched their lead to ten goals in the next period before Hovelands began a remarkable comeback but were still 34-27 behind going into the final quarter. With Sharon Chester and Lucy Tanner completely dominating the defensive circle Hovelands were able to gradually reduce the arrears and the pressure told on Harlequins as Hovelands snatched an unlikely victory by 38 goals to 37.
Second-placed Queensway faced unbeaten Division Three leaders Paulton B and held a slender 9-7 first quarter lead. Shooters Jordyn Baker and Heather Manning combined well in attack, taking advantage of some pinpoint passing from Tracey Day, as Queensway increased their lead to 22-16 at half-time. With Kate Northcott strong in defence there was no way back for Paulton as Queensway overtook them at the top of the table with a fine 42-24 win.
15th October 2011
Trident travelled to Bridgwater to play Saturn in only their second Somerset League Premier Division fixture of the season but were quickly into their stride as they dominated the first quarter to build a 20-4 lead. Although Saturn fared better in the second period they were still unable to cope with Trident’s fast flowing netball as they extended their lead to 37-14. With Vic Beach outstanding at goal attack and Loxley King taking numerous interceptions at wing defence, Trident maintained their high standard of netball throughout the second half and were resounding winners by 76 goals to 22.
Hovelands were also in Bridgwater playing Jupiter but struggled to find any rhythm against the home side whose close marking tactics disrupted their normal flow. After even early exchanges Jupiter opened up a 10-7 lead which they increased to 22-13 at half-time. Despite a captain’s performance from centre Kelly Sully who constantly turned defence into attack, Hovelands were unable to overcome Jupiter’s solid defence and could consider themselves unlucky to suffer their first defeat of the season by 37 goals to 29.
In Division One Claremont began brilliantly against Dolphins in Yeovil with Charlotte Budden shooting accurately as they took a 17-8 first quarter lead. Dolphins responded well to close the deficit to eight goals at half-time but Claremont remained in control. With Cathy Alderson playing excellently in defence Claremont were able to resist any pressure to secure a fine win by 46 goals to 34.
Parkfield never recovered from a dreadful first quarter against a strong Sharks team as they found themselves trailing 16-2. Despite a fine performance from Kerry Quirk in the centre court Parkfield were unable to find a way back into the match. Sharks remained the better side throughout and were comfortable winners by 51 goals to 20.
Buoyed by their midweek success against Queenway, Newbarn played Mercury in Bridgwater on Saturday and built a 13-7 first quarter lead. With Becky Brunt superb at goal attack Newbarn stretched their lead to 31-17 at the halfway stage. They continued to play excellent netball and were comfortable winners by 58 goals to 32.
18th & 23rd October 2011
Galmington travelled to Bath to take on Team Bath A, who so far this season, have lost only 1 of their 4 matches. It was an even start for the teams, with Bath only 1 goal up at quarter time, leading 12-11 and although both teams with making unforced errors, it was Bath who took control to lead 25-19 at half time. Despite some great shooting for Galmington from Laura Dyke, Bath continued to widen the goal gap to 40-30 at three quarter time. A strong Bath team defence put further pressure on the Galmington side, who found it increasingly difficult to feed their shooters, and Bath took the match 51-36.
Galmington Netball Club’s 4th team Claremont played 5th team Parkfield in a close fought and exciting mid week fixture in the Somerset Division 1 League. Claremont took a slender lead of 6-5 at quarter time and held onto their 1 goal lead to end the half 16-15 up. However, Parkfield kept the pressure on and with some great play from Kerry Quirk at Centre and Sophie Hooley at Goal Defence, the teams were neck and neck at 23 all at three quarter time. Going into the final quarter, Claremont stepped up their game and with some timely interceptions from Kate Northcott at Wing Defence, Claremont opened up the goal margin and beat their club rivals 36-28.
8th, 9th & 11th October 2011
Galmington were looking to build on last week’s superb Regional League Division One win over Raychem when they hosted Plymouth Marjon at the Vale on Sunday. With all three first team squad shooters unavailable Galmington called on Jade Clarke and Polly Pepperell and these two combined excellently as Galmington went 10-5 ahead halfway through the first quarter. Potential disaster followed soon afterwards as Pepperell had to be replaced with a serious ankle injury. However, it seemed to make little difference as Galmington finished the first period 15-9 ahead. Clarke continued to shoot accurately, holding her space well against a robust Plymouth defence, and the home side extended their lead to 27-18 at half-time. Galmington seemed well in control playing flowing netball but Plymouth began to reduce the deficit towards the end of the third quarter which finished with Galmington leading 36-29. Galmington were able to maintain their seven-goal lead but with six minutes left Clarke also had to be substituted after sustaining an ankle injury. Plymouth then put Galmington under tremendous pressure but they remained strong and, although the visitors scored twice in the closing seconds, Galmington held on for a deserved victory by 45 goals to 42.
In the Preliminary Round of the Somerset League Knock-Out Cup first division Claremont faced a tough match against premier division Vivary but started brilliantly with Heather Manning shooting well and the first quarter ended level at 10-10. However, Vivary upped their game and began to take control as the built a six-goal lead at half-time. Despite another fine performance from Alison Mardon in defence, Claremont were unable to come back and Vivary pulled away in the second half going through to the next round with a 41-21 win.
Newbarn enjoyed an excellent week with two wins, the first of which was a shock win over previously unbeaten Queensway. Queensway started well to take an early lead but Newbarn had drawn level by the first interval. It was a very even contest but Newbarn held a narrow 16-14 half-time lead which they increased going into the final period. Queensway rallied brilliantly at the start of the last quarter with Carol Manning strong in defence and they looked to be in control as they closed the gap to just one goal. However, the young Newbarn side refused to lie down and, with Jordyn Baker shooting well under pressure, they pulled away to win 29-25.
1st & 2nd October 2011
After a disappointing opening two games in Netball South West Regional League Division One, Galmington faced another tough test when they travelled to Swindon to play early league leaders Raychem. However, they made an excellent start to build a 15-9 first quarter advantage. With shooters Beth Blackwell and Sam Newton combining superbly Galmington extended their lead to 31-20 at half-time. Raychem began to make inroads into the deficit in the third period but Galmington continued to play well in all areas of the court and were 44-35 ahead going into the final quarter. It was goal for goal for the last period as Galmington kept their discipline and made full use of their possession to record an outstanding win by 60 goals to 51.
In the Somerset League Premier Division Hovelands suffered an early blow against Neptune in Bridgwater as they lost wing attack Kerry Nelson to injury with less than a minute on the clock. However, they regrouped to take an 11-6 first quarter lead which they extended to 20-13 at half-time. With Emma McCormack dominating the centre court and shooters Jade Clarke and Steph Andrews in accurate form Hovelands were able to withstand a spirited response from Neptune to win 42-28.
Claremont made a slow start against Sharks of Yeovil and found themselves trailing 15-9 at the first break. Claremont came back into the match in the next quarter but Sharks still had the edge and led 26-18 at the halfway stage. Although Claremont made some positional changes which saw them match Sharks in the second half the damage had been done and, despite a fine performance by goalkeeper Alison Mardon, Claremont were defeated 47-36.
Parkfield were in Bridgwater to face Venus and held a narrow 11-8 first quarter lead which they increased to 19-13 at half-time. With Anthea Kerslake shooting well Parkfield went further ahead 30-21 and then withstood the pressure in the last quarter for a deserved 37-30 victory.
Queensway made it four Division Two wins out of four as they extended their excellent start to the season. They took a while to settle against Mercury and were only 7-3 in front after the first quarter. They gradually established control to move further ahead 19-8 at half-time. With the experienced Jo James, playing her first match for several months, and Carol Manning restricting Mercury’s scoring opportunities, Queensway dominated the second half to win convincingly 40-13.
After two narrow defeats Newbarn looked to be in for another close game as they held a slender 9-7 first quarter lead against Priory. They increased their lead to five goals at half-time before excellent shooting from youngsters Becca Brunt and Kate Hemmings saw Newbarn pull away to win by 35 goals to 19.
24th & 25th September 2011
Galmington were looking to bounce back quickly from their opening day Netball South West Regional League Division One defeat when they entertained Weston at the Vale on Sunday. After even early exchanges Galmington found themselves four goals adrift but they halved the deficit to trail 10-8 after the first quarter. They then took control at the start of the next period and, with Helen Jones superb in defence, Galmington opened up a five-goal lead. Weston responded well but Galmington went into the half-time break holding a 19-16 lead. The visitors drew level at the start of the third quarter before an injury resulted in Galmington having to reorganise and this allowed Weston to pull ahead to go into the last period with a narrow 29-26 lead. They extended this to six goals before Galmington rallied and were just 35-32 behind with four minutes remaining. Now in the ascendency Galmington had the chance to put Weston under real pressure but they were guilty of squandering possession too easily allowing Weston to pull away to win a scrappy match by 39 goals to 32.
Hovelands hosted Gems of Bridgwater in the Premier Division of the Somerset League and built an 11-7 first quarter lead. They dominated the next period playing excellent netball to stretch the lead to 24-12 at the halfway stage. Although Gems scored four goals without reply at the start of the third quarter, Hovelands quickly regained their rhythm and, with goalkeeper Sharon Chester, excellently supported by Becky Feetenby and Steph Andrews, outstanding in defence, they pulled away to win comfortably 46-27.
In Division One Claremont were on the wrong end of a 15-10 score line at the end of a high-scoring initial period but gradually worked their way back to trail by a single goal, 21-20, at half-time. With Dawn Bissell (C ) and Dani Millward (WA) combining well in mid-court Claremont went five goals ahead midway through the third quarter only for Sapphires to claw their way back and take a two-goal lead into the last period. Claremont were unable to respond as Sapphires controlled the closing stages to record a deserved win by 46 goals to 36.
Parkfield held a narrow 6-3 first quarter advantage over Rubies before doubling their lead to 16-10 at half-time. Parkfield were always in control but it was not until the fourth quarter, with Kerry Quirk dominant in mid-court and Anthea Kerslake shooting accurately, that they were able to pull away to win 38-25.
Queensway made it three wins out of three in the third division with a comprehensive victory over Garnets. Despite a tentative start they soon began to open up a healthy lead and, with Kate Northcott brilliant in defence, Queensway led 26-7 at half-time. It was a similar pattern in the second half and Queensway eased to a 58-15 win.
Newbarn were involved in a close contest for the second week running in their third division fixture against Ambers. The match could have gone either way but, despite fine shooting from Jordyn Baker, Newbarn were unluckily defeated 40-37.
17th & 18th September 2011
Galmington travelled to Bristol to play newly-promoted Crossbow in their opening Netball South-West Regional League Division One fixture and trailed 14-10 after the first quarter. Galmington were struggling to find their rhythm against a well-drilled Crossbow team and slipped further behind 29-19 at half-time. With Lauren-Jade Griffiths strong in defence and Natalia Malessa feeding the shooting circle accurately, Galmington began to make inroads into the deficit and went into the final period just 40-33 behind. However, Crossbow withstood the pressure and eventually ran out winners by 52 goals to 41.
Claremont opened their season with a trip to Glastonbury to play Dukes in Somerset League Division One and quickly found themselves 4-0 down. However, they pulled back and led narrowly 7-6 at the first break. The lead continued to change hands regularly and Claremont trailed by a single goal at half-time but with centre Dawn Bissell controlling the mid-court they went into the last quarter 19-17 ahead. It was still anybody’s game but with Heather Manning shooting brilliantly under pressure Claremont held on for a tense 27-25 win.
Promoted to Division One at the end of last season, Parkfield had a difficult first match against a strong Sapphires team and were 18-9 behind at half-time. It did not get any better in the next two quarters as Parkfield struggled against the experienced Sapphires defence and they were well beaten 44-14.
Queensway have made an excellent start to life in Division Three and recorded their second straight comprehensive victory. Heidi Kohlman, Tracey Day and Sandy Clarke combined excellently in the centre court as Queensway took control from the outset to lead 19-6 at half-time. Youngster Jordyn Baker came on to play goalshooter in the second half and shot superbly as Queensway stretched their lead to win comfortably by 45 goals to 14.
10th September 2011
Trident played their first match back in the Somerset League Premier Division after several seasons in the Regional League and any thoughts of an easy ride were quickly dispelled as Harlequins of Timsbury fought all the way at the Vale on Saturday. After even early exchanges Trident opened up a 16-9 first quarter lead but were unable to pull away in the second period and only led 29-21 at half-time. Harlequins were far from overawed and reduced the deficit to seven goals going into the final quarter. However, with Emma McCormack strong in defence, Trident managed to stay in control to win by 55 goals to 43.
Last season’s champions Hovelands hosted Saturn of Bridgwater who had inflicted Hovelands’ only league defeat last year on the opening day of the season. The first half was well matched with both sides struggling to find their rhythm after the summer break as Hovelands held a slender 21-16 lead. However, Hovelands found their passing range to dominate the third quarter with Lucy Sizer outstanding at goal attack to open up a 45-22 lead. With the defensive team of Sharon Chester, Becky Feetenby and Steph Andrews combining excellently Hovelands were able to complete a comprehensive victory by 61 goals to 27.
In Division Three Queensway began their season well with a fine win over Yeovil’s Reckleford. Queensway were able to build a 10-5 first quarter lead and made their greater experience count against a young side. Helen Hunter made an excellent return at goal attack after missing last season and saw her side to a 36-16 win.
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