Essex Under 16 Regional League
After an excellent mornings netball in difficult conditions Essex can feel a little unlucky to have lost 2 of their 3 games at Redbridge Sports Centre on Saturday. Although it will be an uphill struggle Essex are placed 4th in the table and still have a chance of qualifying for the national finals with the top 2 going through.
Essex Open 25 Crystal Palace 26
This was an absorbing game of netball and when the final whistle blew Essex were desperately unlucky to lose by a single goal in a match where they played as well as they have done all season. The first quarter was extremely tight with both sides matching each other goal for goal. At the end of it Crystal Palace led 8-7. The second quarter was just as tight with both teams scoring 4 goals each which meant that Crystal Palace led 11-10 at half time.
In the 3rd quarter Essex suffered a blow when Mia Citreon suffered an injury which ended her morning. Fortunately for Essex Kyra Boyce was returning from injury and was able to slot into the defensive circle. Towards the end of the 3rd quarter Crystal Palace seized the initiative to take a 3-goal lead into the last quarter as they went 20-17 in front.
A goal at the start of the last quarter extended the lead to 4. It looked all over for Essex, but this was a spirited performance and they fought back strongly. Good shooting from Lara May and Louise Acons brought Essex back level at 22 all. Excellent play in the centre court saw Essex gain a 2-goal advantage as they led 24-22. Crystal Palace fought back and with a minute or so to play Essex led 25-24 and had centre pass. Disappointingly Essex could not hold their nerve. The centre pass was overturned, and Palace were level and with seconds to go they snatched victory with a last-minute goal. Essex were left to reflect on what might have been.
Essex Open 20 Telstars 27
After the disappointment of the Crystal Palace match Essex lost this game with a dreadful performance in the first quarter which found them 10-3 down. Again, Essex dug deep into their reserves and in the second quarter matched Telstars goal for goal and at half time the score stood at 18-10 to Telstars. Essex stepped up their game in the 3rd quarter and with Boyce and Charlotte Peters making life very difficult for the Telstars shooters, Essex reduced the deficit to 5 as they trailed 22-17 going into the final quarter.
An excellent start to the last quarter saw Essex reduce the deficit to 3 but the poor 1st quarter display proved too much for Essex and they eventually went down 27-20.
Essex Open 32 Kent County 22
By contrast to their poor start in the Telstars game Essex made a brilliant start to this game. With Acons and May in Excellent form Essex stormed to a 7-0 lead. Kent County gradually recovered but at the end of the first quarter Essex held a commanding 10-5 lead. Any hopes of a Kent comeback were soon dismissed by Essex as they overwhelmed them in an excellent display of netball to all intents and purposes seal the game at the interval as they led 18-7.
In the second half Essex eased up somewhat but still had too much for Kent and at the end of the game were comfortable 32-22 winners.
Citreon, Peters, Boyce, Mbanu, Gibbons, Hammond, Biss, Snell, Swani, Acons, May.