But, despite losing both games two weeks ago and losing on Sunday to Roman Glass 54-46 and TeamBath Toucans 44-39, coach Ally Meredith says that the team aren’t demoralised as they are in a good position at this stage of the season.
‘Bizarrely, the team’s performance was almost better than some of the games we have won so we’re definitely coming on.
We still got bonus points (for being within five goals or half the score of the opponents) and we are where I’d hoped and planned, before the start of the season, to be at this stage.
‘We were aiming to get bonus points in every match as this is our first season at this level and we’ve already won some matches – it is a bit frustrating as I can see it in us to beat these teams.
But just knowing that we can play at this level and stay with the teams is great and the morale is still good amongst the squad.
‘We only have two games left against unknown opposition and then we play all the teams again so there’ll be no surprises after that and we’ll be able to plan things better.
‘I put a lot of our lack of consistency down to the fact that we have two games in one day which I think must niggle on a players’ mind.
It maybe holds them back in the first game as they know they’ve got another hard game to come.
Then in the second match we always play really well up to the middle of the third quarter and then we seem to run out of steam.
‘If we had sponsors we could afford to take 12-14 players each time and it would make things more relaxed.
You’d know you’ve got fresh legs on the bench so a player would be able to say if they’ve got nothing left, or if they’re feeling injured, because there would be someone to replace them instead of them having to keep going.
‘One of the umpires over the weekend said that it would be interesting to see us have a home game.
If we would play at home we would almost definitely win with having the home support and a full squad.’ J United next play Old Chelts and Plymouth Pilgrims on 2 December.
Team: Jenna Meredith (captain), Laura Beeston, Emma Carré, Zoe Hotton, Carol McKeon, Sarah Thatcher, Sophie Hickey, Nicole Goddard, Sharon West, Laura Macfarlane.
