Netball: Jets’ steel takes down Falcons

With fourth placed Norfolk United – who started the weekend just one point behind the Islanders – losing by the odd-goal at the death to Linden, Jets gave themselves some breathing space in their hunt for a spot at May’s national league playoff weekend with yet another hard-fought success.

P W D L GA Pts
Kent County 16 12 1 3 1.27 66
Ryland 16 12 1 3 1.15 66
Team Jets 16 11 0 5 1.09 62
Norfolk United 16 10 0 6 1.09 58
Linden 16 8 1 7 1.12 53
Dudley Leisure 16 9 0 7 1.05 52
Cumberland 16 8 1 7 0.95 51
Sussex Thunder* 16 3 0 13 0.9 32
Falcons Black 16 4 1 11 0.77 32
Loughborough

16 0 1 15 0.72 19

*2 pts deducted

It was far from plain sailing, though, and Linda Andrew’s side required a quite superb second-quarter showing to push themselves in front.

An opening quarter bursting at the seams with fouls, footwork and misplaced passes left the hosts 11-9 down, but intervention from coach Andrews at the break resulted in a shift in focus, and it all clicked into place.

The now-formidable defensive partnership of Lauren Devine and Josie Le Masurier was disrupted at half-time as player of the match Liz Haenga – appearing in her first home game since moving to Jersey – shifted from wing defence to goal defence to accommodate Nicole Goddard, but the changes did little to boost Falcons’ hopes in attack.

Team Jets 86.5% (58/67)

Lynsey Pitman 93.3% (14/15)

Sophie Holmes 85.7% (30/35)

Rosie Tonner 82.3% (14/17)

Falcons 82.0% (32/39)

Haenga, whose PoM performance completed a fine weekend personally after fiancé Kaisa Leota picked up man-of-the-match on his Jersey Athletic debut on Saturday, was surprised to have been handed the playing honours by Falcons, but she was impressed by her new team’s resilience (and indeed the passion of the Les Ormes crowd).

‘The team definitely did very well to come back after that first quarter,’ said Haenga. ‘We reassessed and realised that the play we put out for first quarter was not working for us. In defence we weren’t putting on enough defensive pressure and in attack we weren’t creating good space for shooters, so we reset our attitudes and motives and the second quarter was very good.’

Andrews added: ‘We didn’t settle very well in the first quarter. We were trying to do things we weren’t ready for.

‘We were getting turnover ball but weren’t doing much with it, and they hit us hard, so credit to them. But the intensity in the second quarter is the best I’ve seen, and it was all over the court.’

Of Haenga, who helped Jets to their best defensive display of the season in terms of goals conceded, Andrews continued: ‘It’s her first game in front of home crowd and I’m delighted she was nominated for PoM. She has been a breath of fresh air and we’re all open to what she is offering to give us, she’s got a bit of a flair about her. She’ll go for balls, and OK she missed a few, but she is straight back in hunting the ball down. I’m looking forward to seeing how she progresses over the next two months.’

Jets will secure a playoff place with victory against Norfolk this weekend. However, if they suffer defeat by more than five goals (and only get one bonus point) they will be relying on results elsewhere to go their way in the season finale on 21 March.

Lauren Devine, Josie Le Masurier, Liz Haenga, Nicole Goddard, Jacy Brown, Abbie Hazley, Lynsey Pitman, Sophie Holmes, Rosie Tonner. Not used: Lisa Luce, Ebony Troy.

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