It was an exciting day at Redbridge Sports Centre on Saturday with some excellent games of netball.
Essex Open A 33 Manor 42
Essex went down to table topping Manor in an exciting game which was much closer than the scoreline suggests.Manor started strongly and took full advantage of their opportunities whilst Essex struggled to find the net regularly.With the end of the first quarter looming Manor were 13-6 in front. Then Stacey Jackson scored three quick goals to keep Essex in touch.Essex started the second quarter really strongly and pulled it back to 15-15. However Manor continued to put pressure on Essex and pulled away to lead 23-17 at half time. In the third quarter of the second half Essex enjoyed lots of possession and managed to reduce the deficit to 2 as they trailed 28-26. Going into the last quarter Essex held out real hopes of claiming the points. Indeed they reduced the array rears to a solitary goal a minute or so into the final phase of the game. Unfortunately Manor had too much for Essex and they eased away towards the end to win 42-33.
Stewart, Tynan, Linehan, Biss, Mead, Cambell, Humphrey, Jackson
Essex Open B 51 Romford 43
Essex maintained their position at the top of Division 4 with a thrilling victory over Romford. Minus key players Essex started slowly and soon found themselves 4-1 down. Essex fought back and turned the game around to lead 9-6 but the match swung back in Romfords favour and at the end of the first quarTer it was 10-10.
In the second quarter Romford took control of the game and were able to score freely. Essex managed to keep in touch until the end of the half whereby Romford eased away to lead 28-21 at half time.
Essex were determined not to give up their unbeaten record without a fight and gradually begun to claw their way back into the game as Rochelle Reynolds and Rebecca Wilks scored freely. Amazingly in the 3rd quarter they turned a 7 point deficit into a 2 point advantage to lead 38-36. Essex were in no mood to give up this hard won advantage in the last quarter and gradually moved away from Romford to finish comfortable winners 51-43 in what had been a thrilling game.
Livingstone, J Wilks, Fox, Maddison, Murphy, K Wilks, R Wilks, R Reynolds-Blanche
Essex Open C 41 Pettits 27
Essex Open C enjoyed a comfortable victory over table topping Pettits.Essex started slowly missing opportunities to score early on. As a result the first quarter was keenly contested and Essex held a narrow 7-6 lead. However good defensive work in the second quarter and regular goals from Jess Fray and Isabella Morgan-Smith enabled Essex to go into the break with a 15-10 lead. Essex continued to dominate in the third quarter and managed to extend their lead to 28-19.
With weather conditions deteriorating quickly Essex dominated the last quarter of the game to finish with a well earned victory with the score standing at 41-27.
J Wilks , Idoku, Mann, Murphy, Kerr, L Carlisle, Kerr, Fray, Morgan – Smith
Other Results
Essex Open D beat Aeonian 33-29 and moved to the top of Division 8 with league leaders Romford losing. Essex Open E have opened up a massive 18 point lead at the top of Division 10 as they inflicted a 58-11 defeat on Oakwood. In the same division Essex Open F went down to Marshalls in a thrilling game by 24-23
