Netball: Late winner extends Jets’ unbeaten run

They certainly made hard work of it having entered the final quarter six goals up, but the one-goal success was no less than the Islanders deserved after a gritty display throughout.

Shooting stats

Jets 67.7% (40/59)

Holmes 93.1%

Pitman 65%

Worcester 72.2% (39/54)

Q1: 10-8. Q2: 20-18. Q3: 33-27.

And their ability to maintain composure when on the back foot was rewarded with a late winner from Lynsey Pitman – a goal that pushed Jets level with fourth-placed Kent.

To say the opening quarter was scrappy would be no understatement, but Jets matched their visitors stride for stride and battled their way to a two-goal lead. The advantage – forged with the help of four inspiring interceptions from captain Lauren Devine – was held throughout a tit-for-tat second period, and by the end of the third the game looked beyond doubt.

With Devine – and others – continuing to rack up interceptions, Pitman and Jets’ player of the match Sophie Holmes guided the Caesareans six ahead after half-time, but not before they had relinquished the lead.

P W L D GAv Pts
Tameside 12 12 0 0 1.49 60
Ryland 12 9 3 0 1.05 47
Worcester Reds 12 7 5 0 1.00 43
Kent County 12 7 5 0 1.06 40
Team Jets 12 6 5 1 1.04 40
Clan 12 5 7 0 0.99 35
Telstars 12 4 7 0 0.92 33
Grangetown 12 4 8 1 0.97 31
Prem. Romans*

12 4 8 0 0.92 24
Thoroughbreds 12 1 11 0 0.71 17

*5 pts deducted

Replacement goal attack Phillipa Yarranton gave Worcester a timely boost, and the former Premier League 1 outfit moved ahead for the first time in quarter three at 25-24. However, they were on top for all of 30 seconds, as Jets quickly spun it back to 26-25 in their favour before plundering home a further four goals without reply. They changed ends with the scoreboard showing a healthy 33-27, but an unwanted dose of worry was soon to follow as the Reds came extremely close to spoiling the party.

Holding hopes of keeping the scoreline beyond the five-goal margin to prevent Worcester from claiming a second losing bonus point, Jets instead found themselves on the wrong end of a late flourish. A catalogue of errors left them at serious risk of becoming victims of a smash and grab as the opposition clawed back to 39-39, but Pitman held her nerve when it mattered most to leave the home side smiling.

Reigning CI Sports Personality of the Year Devine, who finished with no fewer than eight interceptions to her name, said: ‘The message at quarter-time was “composure”, which is easier said than done, but at the end of the day the result came because of our composure.

‘Worcester will be frustrated with this result, particularly as they beat us convincingly last time, but in a game of errors we just made one less error than them, and that’s what it comes down to.’

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