Regional League Division Two
Essex Open 62 – Kent Club 50
Essex secured a hard-fought victory over Kent Club, a result which—combined with other favourable results—guarantees their promotion to Division One at the end of the season.
The opening quarter was closely contested, with both sides matching each other goal for goal. Kent Club edged ahead towards the end of the period to lead 12–9, but Essex finished strongly and managed to close the gap, ending the quarter with a narrow one-goal advantage.
The second quarter proved decisive as Essex began to take control of the game. They dominated the centre court, with Nicole Alves, Jasmin Odegberin, and Rebecca Wilks creating numerous opportunities for shooters Leah Hayelden and Maddie Oshodi. The shooting pair were in excellent form and capitalised on the supply they received.
Essex were particularly dominant in the early stages of the quarter, scoring eight goals while Kent Club managed just one in reply. Although the remainder of the quarter was more evenly balanced, Kent Club struggled to penetrate the Essex circle, where Johanne Linehan and Emma Shaw were defending extremely well. At half-time Essex had established a useful seven-goal lead, going into the break 31–24 ahead.
Essex began the third quarter just as strongly, producing some excellent netball. Midway through the quarter they had extended their lead to 13 goals, thanks again to strong centre-court play and the finishing of Hayzelden and Oshodi. However, Kent Club rallied towards the end of the quarter as Essex briefly lost momentum. Kent Club scored eight goals during this spell while Essex managed only three. Despite this resurgence, Essex still held an eight-goal lead heading into the final quarter.
Determined not to let the opportunity slip, Essex battled hard in the last period. Kent Club found it difficult to move the ball through the court, and every goal required considerable effort. Essex matched their opponents’ goal for goal, ensuring that Kent Club could not reduce the deficit. Essex were able to bring on Olivia Edwards and Atronna Sebyala. Sebyala made an immediate impact taking advantage of the scoring opportunities that came her way.
At the final whistle, Essex ran out convincing 62–50 winners.
The result keeps Essex top of the league, two points ahead of Claygate with a game still in hand.
Team: Shaw, Linehan, Alves, Odegberin, R. Wilks, Hayzelden, Oshodi, Edwards, Sebyala.
