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Royston 27 Netherhall 28 THE last time they locked horns with Netherhall Royston won by a solitary goal, so they knew this match would be a close affair. Before the match they were buoyed by the news that they were nearly back to a full strength side,
Royston 27 Netherhall 28
THE last time they locked horns with Netherhall Royston won by a solitary goal, so they knew this match would be a close affair.
Before the match they were buoyed by the news that they were nearly back to a full strength side, but they still had one or two players out and had to start the game with a new combination in centre court and Emma Winser having to step back into defence.
The match began as tightly as everyone had expected it to, and at the end of the first quarter the score was 5-4 to the visitors.
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Royston made a couple of changes in the second quarter by moving Winser into the shooter position to provide some height and Hannah White into defence, and once again their defence proved difficult to penetrate.
Jo Moxham was excellent in controlling the defending circle and was instrumental in making vital interceptions and crucial turnovers for Royston to convert.
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At the end of the second quarter there was still only one goal in it and the game looked like it would finish every bit as close as the last encounter between these two teams.
In the third quarter Natalie Williams and Karen Hume moved into the centre of the court to support Emily St John and with this change Royston began to show their steel.
Williams was able to make some crucial interceptions and when the ball was fed up to the waiting shooters they were then popping the goals in from all areas.
Royston were leading by two goals going into the tense final quarter of the match and although some good defending limited Netherhall's chances, Royston were unable to keep their opponents at bay.
They fell three goals behind and had to work extremely hard to get back into it to stand any chance of pinching a win at the death.
With just 30 second left on the clock Royston were trailing by a solitary goal and could sniff a win.
With just ten seconds to go the ball was fed to Winser but before she could put the ball away the whistle went and the referee stopped play.
Royston had lost by just one goal in what was a scintillating game of netball.
Team: Winser, Pledger, Stimson, Hume, Rooney, St John, Williams, Huttlestone, White, Moxham.
