BRAVERY in the face of intimidation personified the Evelyn Partners Jets’ win over a boisterous Blackpool on Saturday.
Evelyn Partners Jets 55 – 42 Blackpool
Q1: 11-12
Q2: 11-11 [22-23]
Q3: 17-11 [39-34]
Q4: 16-8 [55-42]
POTM: Becca Forrest
In one of the most physically demanding matches of the season, the Jets showed composure and class against a Blackpool side looking as intent to score points on a boxing judge’s scorecard as much as on the netball board.
This triumph secures back-to-back wins, all at home as well, four wins for the season now in total and this may have been the most impressive.
Coach Emily Green said: “I’m incredibly proud of the girls because I asked them to be big and brave, and they were. We had a really strong starting lineup, but there were a couple of players taking on unfamiliar roles.
“Jodie [Blampied] hadn’t started at centre for Jets before, while Layla [Dos Santos] was also stepping into a new position at wing defence.
“Layla is still relatively new to Premier-level netball, so for both of them to stand up and be willing to give it a go was fantastic. It took real bravery, and they did a brilliant job.”
Opening exchanges were close, but the intent of intimidation from the northern-based side was evident from the off.
A back-and-forth opening quarter saw Blackpool edge an 11-12 advantage.
The second quarter was the same, with blows being exchanged back and forth – metaphorically, of course.
The second quarter ended all square at 11 each, but Blackpool held the slight half-time advantage at 22-23.
“It was a really tight first half,” continued Green. “We made a few changes during the second quarter because, although Jodie was doing a great job at centre, we were struggling to land the ball in the middle channel.
“We were getting pushed too wide and putting too much pressure on ourselves to recover possession and get the ball back into central areas.
“We wanted to use the width to get rid of a defender, but then land the ball in the middle of the court so we could create better angles for the next pass. The girls executed that beautifully.”
In a tactical move, skipper Jodie Blampied was moved back to her preferred role at wing defence and in her place at centre came the one and only Serena Kersten.
Green explained the decision: “Moving Serena into centre and Jodie back to wing defence made an immediate difference. Jodie brings the ball through court really nicely and is very comfortable at wing defence, while Serena is an expert in that centre bib.
“We suddenly had that middle channel opening up and the feeds into the shooters improved considerably.”
There were also changes made in the offensive unit, as Green noted: “We also changed things in the shooting circle, bringing Lily [Jones] out to goal attack and putting Grace [Thomson] at the back.
“We knew that would give us more rotation rather than a traditional holding option, but it really unpicked Blackpool’s defensive set-up.
“They were trying to hang off and zone in the circle, and that change gave them a completely different problem to deal with.”
This is not the first meeting between the two sides. History exists between the two clubs, as mentioned by Green.
“There is a bit of history between us and Blackpool. We played them about three-and-a-half years ago in the final for Premier 3 status, and they beat us.
“They’re a very physical team, playing a very on-body style of netball, and in the past we’ve sometimes been worn down by that.
“But the Jets of today are a very different team. After three-and-a-half years of hard work, climbing the ranks, regrouping and developing a really clear playing programme, it showed in abundance.
“We didn’t back away from the physicality, but we stayed true to our identity. We weren’t going to be bullied or pushed around, and we weren’t going to back off just because they were big, loud and extremely physical.
“We basically said: ‘We’re going to meet you there, but we’re not going to take it any further. We’re just not backing down.’
“I’m really proud of how the girls ignored the noise, the comments and the attempts to contest decisions with the umpires from the Blackpool players.
hey just kept working through it and stuck to our game plan despite all the distractions.”
Heading into the third quarter, Green believed the momentum was already starting to swing in her side’s favour.
As the physical battle continued to be met head on, the frustration amongst the Blackpool camp showed and the Jets leapt on their opportunity.
The end of the third quarter saw the Jets both take and then expand their lead, winning the quarter 17-11 to take a 39-34 advantage into the final 15 minutes.
However, with their foot on the throat, they refused to give Blackpool a sniff.
“Defensively, we were outstanding, particularly in the fourth quarter,” said Green, who was particularly complimentary of her goalkeeper, Becca Forrest and goal defense, Molly Carre.
“Becca had four clean interceptions in that final period, while Molly contributed three turnovers, including an interception.
“We won seven balls in that quarter because the defensive unit really grew into the game. They got off the body, started confusing Blackpool and became more confident as the match went on.
“Becca was absolutely eating ball. She finished with ten individual turnovers across the game, including interceptions and a rebound. That’s a phenomenal contribution, but it’s also about how she set up the rest of the defensive unit to make their own steals.”
“That third quarter dominance was a really significant shift in the game.
“It wasn’t just about the substitutions, though. Every player had a choice about whether they were going to roll over and let Blackpool take control, or whether they were going to stand up and say, ‘No, we want this more.’
“That was Jets today. We found our flow, worked out what we needed to do and adapted really well. Once we got that momentum shift, we didn’t let them back into the game.
“Sometimes we’ve had matches where the momentum swings back and forth, but this time we got ahead and maintained it.
“We kept doing the things that were working: landing the ball in the middle channel, using the width to move defenders and then creating better angles to feed the next pass.
“The shooters were phenomenal, too. Their availability was excellent and the feeders did a brilliant job of finding them.”
Green was also excited to mention the efforts of her captain Jodie Blampied, who continues to adorn the skippers armband in the absence of club captain, Rosie Tonner, who is currently sidelined with injury.
“Jodie deserves a huge amount of credit for having a go at centre, which is such an intense position, before dropping back to wing defence and immediately taking control of that unit.
“I’m also really proud of Layla. Starting at wing defence and having to control that position for half a game is a big responsibility, particularly because that position is so important in controlling the line on centre-pass defence. She’s stepped into those shoes and done a fantastic job. It’s a really encouraging sign from a young player.
“Jacy Brown also did a phenomenal job at wing attack, holding that position throughout the game, getting free and feeding the shooters.
“Maddie Fitzgerald-Wilkins came on for the final ten minutes or so and immediately made an impact. She found the shooters really well, which was encouraging to see.
“And Molly and Becca just kept going defensively. Molly took a particularly heavy challenge at one stage, taking a ball in the air and being completely clattered off her feet. But she got straight back up, didn’t react and simply carried on playing. That resilience summed up the attitude of the whole team.”
With a return fixture on the cards for later in the season, Green admits it’s one she’s looking forward to.
“We’ll certainly look forward to meeting Blackpool again on their home court. We’ll take exactly the same composure and attitude into that game. We’re not going to back down from overly physical behaviour, but we’ll stay true to how we want to play.
“Today was encouraging not just because of the performance on court, but because of the mental strength the girls showed. I’m really proud of them.”
Evelyn Partners Jets: Jodie Blampied (c), Lily Jones, Emily Le Gros, Grace Thomson, Madison Fitzgerald-Wilkins, Jacy Brown, Serena Kersten, Layla Dos Santos, Molly Carre, Becca Forrest, Lauren Devine
Coaches: Serena Kersten & Emily Green
