ANTS NETBALL CLUB - PRESS RELEASE
RED ANTS V VIABLES 18.03.19 (LATE)
STARTING LINE UP:
GS: HARRI WOOD / GA: CHARLOTTE MACKRELL / WA: KELLY HAWTIN (CAPTAIN) / C : JEN FROST / WD: JEN FRANCIS / GD: SHRIMP / GK: FRANKIE DAVIES
ON THE BENCH: TRACY TALBOT (GS) / CATH GILL (WD) / SALLY BURTON (GK)
With such an impressive line up available to Captain Kelly Hawtin she was feeling confident of taking the Victory against Viables. However, RED ANTS didn’t have it easy first quarter despite having the larger majority of play and with a new player at GK (DAVIES) who made an impressive five interceptions with fast back up and feeding out from Shrimp and Francis; they struggled to convert their goals just gaining a two goal advantage at quarter time (8 / 6 – GS : 7 – GA: 1)
The Second Quarter saw all three subs coming into Court play, which unsettled the team for the first few minutes as Viables tightened up their defensive play in the Ants shooting circle. With Mackrell at centre she dominated this quarter making various athletic interceptions and linking up confidently with Frost at WA they maintained a consistent passage of balls into the circle which overall were converted with some misses. However the Viables shooters really got their eye in this quarter and moved the ball freely around their attacking circle using their WA and Centre to gain better positions to convert the goals, hence they took the lead by 20 goals to 17 at half time. (17/20 GS: 4 – GA: 5)
After a brief discussion on tactics and both Coach Talbot and Captain Hawtin knowing what they wanted from this game, a win, and good cohesion with the players, they again moved some positions around looking at the opposition and decided to bring Davies into GA to use her height and mobility. Mackrell forced an early turnover which then found Hawtin as she dropped the perfect lob to Davies who converted easily. The next goal followed with a “turnover” as the determined play of everyone forced the errors from Viables and this counterattack saw some close interceptions by Francis which found its way to the safe hands of Talbot who converted with the score now 20 all. Ants held steady and then achieved another turnover with Burton becoming more dominant under the post and retrieving the ball to send the “safe” pass down court and through a successive channel of quick passes whipped through by Shrimp, Francis, Mackrell and Hawtin back into Ants shooters. Talbot missed the first shot but DAVIES retrieved under the post and yet another conversion as Ants took the lead 21-20. The game kept swaying and changing direction and Viables stepped up their game to then break Ants centre pass – the whole quarter was one of steady nerves and determination but Viables just pipped Red Ants to a one goal lead at the end of the third quarter as the score stood at 28-29 (GS: 5 – GA: 6)
With everything to play for and the bit now between their teeth, RED ANTS were not going to be beaten by a mongrel Viables team (who had seconded other players from other teams) and with a few minor tweaks to the team moving Davies into Shoot and Woods to GA the heat got turned up yet again by ANTS as the support on the side lines hit new levels with some superb interceptions ensued by everyone on court as Judy’s stats sheet grew with “ticks” against everyone’s names! The goals increased in a flurry and Viables knew the tide had changed as Red Ants finished victorious by 40 goals to 37! (GS: 7 / GA: 5).
Viables choice of MOM was Jen Francis (congratulations)
Red Ants MOM : Frankie Davies