Newbury Netball League: Fusion lead the way in Premier Division after convincing win over Brights

Fusion Group lead the Newbury Netball League Premier Division on goal difference after a convincing 60-28 win over Brights.

The Brights pairing of Jemma Wells and Sharon Bassingdale combined passes well, but it was Fusion who edged the first quarter thanks to accurate shooting from Maggie Taylor. Jo Bakewell and Karina Williams didn’t allow Fusion to run away with things before half-time as they continued pressing their opponents. Fusion not only improved defensively, but they became more clinical in front of goal thanks to the help from Holly Humphrey, who converted every pass thrown at her. Brights came out fighting and never gave up, which was clear to see as Alex Roberts scored the first three goals of the quarter. Despite a late rally, Fusion showed determination and great passages of play to secure the victory.

Hungerford Extra 33-31 David Wilson Homes

Hungerford Extra inflicted a seventh defeat on David Wilson Homes as the former secured a 33-31 victory. David Wilson Homes got off to a flying start, scoring several goals in a row and quickly taking the lead by five goals. Hungerford started to fight back and gradually closed the gap, but it was David Wilson Homes who had the overall advantage at the halfway stage. Fantastic flying interceptions by Hungerford’s Abi Scarlett were quickly converted to goals and a couple of mistakes by DWH allowed Hungerford to go from four behind to two ahead. The final quarter was again goal for goal and it was Hungerford who just had the edge with great shooting throughout the match.

Robinson Foods 64-38 Jets Xtra

Robinson Foods have entered the title race after a commanding 64-38 win over Jets Xtra. They took control from the off and the duo of Rachel Cross and Catherine Jones fired them into an early lead. The Jets attack of Eryn Robinson and Zoe Wright gave Robinson something to think about, but they stood their ground in defence to hold the lead. Despite further success for Jets in front of goal, the quarter ended 48-30 to Robinson and the former had it all to do in the final period. Both sides came out fighting and although Aimee Andrews and Becky Wheeler were in form for Jets, it was their opponents who secured the points.

Jets Black 45-40 Newbury 4x4 Centre 1

Jets Black continue their pursuit of top spot after a 45-40 win over Newbury 4x4 Centre 1. Newbury raced into the lead after a fine start from Kelly Thorne and Daisy Dijksman, who created plenty of attacks for their side.

Newbury 4x4 Centre 2 58-19 Roots Estate Agents

Newbury 4x4 Centre 2 are still in control of Division 1 of the Netball League after a 58-19 win over Roots Estate Agents. Both teams started well, scoring from their centre passes, but the game quickly started to swing in Newbury 4x4’s favour due to the tight defence of Julia Gay and Maisie Allan. Newbury further extended their lead in the second period after some impressive turnovers and interceptions from the defence. Roots achieved their best scoring quarter in the third period, but Newbury had stretched their lead too far and they had full control. Both teams pushed on into the last quarter of the game with Roots achieving a couple of crucial turnovers early on, but Newbury 4x4 continued to show their strength and skill down the court.

Vipers 48-36 Caravatti

Vipers continue their challenge on Newbury after they recorded a 48-36 win over Caravatti. Both teams started the game with great intensity, but it was Vipers who took an early lead after help from Beth Abinger and Lorah Noonan. The game came alive in the second period as it was level at 20-20 with both sides being clinical in front of goal when chances came their way. The Vipers defence turned up the pressure in the third quarter, turning over some fantastic balls, and they were able to regain control of the lead. From there, they never looked back and they continued to dominate in attack on the way to the win.

Jade Bailey Birds 57-26 Eclipse

Elsewhere, Jade Bailey Birds impressed as they beat Eclipse 57-26 to move fourth. The game was evenly matched during the opening stages, but Jade Bailey Birds took a grip on proceedings. In each quarter, they dominated the attacks and continued to extend their lead and secure the victory.

Jets White 53-40 Tadley Witches

In the other game, Jets White secured a 53-40 win over Tadley Witches. Jets took control of the game and, despite Tadley fighting until the very end, the former earned the win after a solid performance from Grace Matthews.

Altair Media 55-19 Acord Managed Services

Altair Media maintained their advantage at the top of Division 2 after a comfortable 55-19 win over Acorn Managed Services. After the first goal Altair found their rhythm and play between both teams became much more considered and fluid. However, a few injuries to Acorn players resulted in changes and Altair were able to remain on top for large parts of the contest. Acorn’s defence stepped up a level in the third quarter and saw a better conversion of shots to goals, allowing them to have their best spell. The final quarter allowed Altair to find some composure and steady their game. The shooting duo of Anna Duffelen and Abi Agar saw the highest number goals of converted for a quarter in the game. Acorn kept their heads high and showed great resilience in both defence and attack, but Altair made sure of the win.

Briars 38-30 Hungerford

In the other game, second-placed Briars beat Hungerford 38-30. Briars came out of the starting blocks quickly in the first quarter to take a comfortable 11-7 lead, Sarah Fenemore proving her worth with some beautiful shots from the edge of the D. However, there was no letting up by the Hungerford Scarletts, with Helen Mugford proving consistently strong in defence. Clearly there was some tactical talking in the break as Hungerford Scarletts changed tactics and drove in with a challenging attack on the Briars’ defence. Hungerford had the edge in this last quarter, the GK intercepting many passes beautifully in the D. Isla Dalgarno was a constant threat to Briars, finding space and passing beautifully into the D, assisted by Tally Gale, who never missed a beat and they fired their team to a hard-fought victory.