Comets Tornadoes 40 Shooters Flames 23
Trust Helping Hands 34 BDR 19
Stratford Ladies Purples 55 Pink Ladies 25
Stratford Ladies Blues 42 Thunderbirds 27

Comets Tornadoes met Shooters Flames in the early match.  With Shooters' other team, Sparks, on a bye week, they were supported with a number of players playing up.  Great mid court play from Pippa Corby and Amelia Rouse, recognised for the player awards, strengthened their cause against a strong Comets side, but it wasn't enough and Comets took the win and 5 points moving them up into third position in the table with a game in hand.

In the other early game, Trust Helping Hands met BDR.  Coping with an injury, Trust moved Leonie Green into the circle who excelled albeit it out of position for her.  As the game went on she gained confidence and made some great goals earning her the opposition's player award.  BDR made great use of their height in both attacking and defensive circles and they did not make life easy for Trust.  Centre court players keeping Trust's defence, Kelly Stepney and Katie Desmond, working hard as they executed the high ball into Michelle Hastie at GS with precision throughout the game.  The game was close for the first half, but Trust held out to take the win.

The second game presented a few challenges as, on an already cold morning, the teams played through intermittent hail showers and strong, bitingly cold winds.  Stratford Ladies Purples met Pink Ladies who, despite the conditions, played out their strongest game of the season.  Renae Hawkyard played a solid game throughout, starting at GD and finishing at C, and was a strong contender for the umpires' player award.  However, given that Pink Ladies notched up their highest score of the season so far recognition was diverted to the shooting circle.  Both Laura Joynes and Lisa Blake made some excellent long shots, they have a relaxed partnership in the circle and played out some neat passes to reach their highest total so far.  The final score maybe not a fair reflection of the challenge Pink Ladies brought to table leaders Stratford, as at more than one occasion during the match, they were within touching distance of half the score and threatened to claim their first point of the season.  However, Stratford's strength in the circle with Rebecca England and Laura Urquhart allowed them to stretch their lead and comfortably take the win.

Stratford Ladies Blues were supported by a number of players playing up from the Purples team.  Despite not having much match experience together as a team, they managed to play out a win against Thunderbirds to maintain second slot in the table thanks to some great shooting from Izzy Lewis who picked up both player awards.  Kizzy Galvin at C for Thunderbirds played a great all round game to gain recognition from her opposition and Holly Roberts picked up the umpires' award for her efforts at GK.

Player of the match awards:

Comets Tornadoes: Umpires' player - Katie Irgin, Players' player - Sophie Hodges
Shooters Flames: Umpires' player - Amelia Rouse, Players' player - Pippa Corby
Trust Helping Hands: Umpires' player - Katie Desmond, Players' player - Leonie Green
BDR: Umpires' player : Ashlee Powell, Players' player - Jenny Darby
Stratford Ladies Purples: Umpires' player - Ella Leary, Players' player - Lisa Nduna
Pink Ladies: Umpires' and Players' player - Lisa Blake
Stratford Ladies Blues: Umpires' and Players' player - Izzy Lewis
Thunderbirds: Umpires' player - Holly Roberts, Players' player - Kizzy Galvin

• ​BDR 47 Pink Ladies 14
• Stratford Ladies Blues 41 Shooters Sparks 16
• Stratford Ladies Purples 37 Shooters Flames 29
• Trust Helping Hands 33 Thunderbirds 35

Stratford Ladies Purples played Shooters Flames in Stratford’s first game of 2019. The match was extremely close throughout with only a couple of goals separating the teams in the first three quarters of the game. Flames played particularly well in both the shooting and defensive circles with Naomi Parker’s high shooting percentage earning her players’ player and Lucy White’s strong defensive skills gaining her recognition as umpires’ player. Stratford managed to gain the upper hand, however, in the final quarter with many excellent interceptions in the centre court by players’ player Emily Holmes and umpires’ player Sam Murdoch.

In the other early game, BDR met Pink Ladies in a clean, good natured match. Ami Merens-Dixon had an excellent game, picking up both players’ player and umpires’ player for BDR. Pink Ladies showed good flexibility within their squad by moving around positions and Charlotte Brookes was recognised as players’ player, while Jo Reeves received umpires’ player. While both teams managed to keep the scoreboard ticking over, BDR extended their lead as the match went on to take the full 5 points.

Stratford Ladies and Shooters came up against each other again in the late game when Blues played Sparks. Stratford started strongly and passed with great accuracy throughout the match. Sparks continued to fight hard, however, helped by a great performance from Beth Morgan (umpires’ player). Sparks scored at a steady rate with Rebecca Heath (players’ player) converting well in the shooting circle. Stratford also showed flexibility and high shooting percentages in their attacking circle with Sophie Lockhart, at GS, gaining players’ player. Stratford extended their lead in the second half helped by the excellent defensive skills of Shirley-Anne Lilley.

Meanwhile, Trust Helping Hands and Thunderbirds battled it out on the other court. Trust, playing with just 6 players, worked hard to keep the score close and were aided by Rachel Goodman’s and Lucie Staniland’s excellent efforts moving the ball into the attacking circle. Trust also showed their adaptability when an injury scare left them briefly with 5 players; fortunately, Leonie Green was able to resume her position of GD. Thunderbirds, however, took advantage of their extra player and were able to snatch the win with Lauren Simmonds and Carolyn Stacey taking players’ player and umpires’ player respectively.


Player of the match awards:

• Stratford Ladies Blues: Umpires’ player – Shirley-Anne Lilley, players’ player – Sophie Lockhart.
• Stratford Ladies Purples: Umpires’ player – Sam Murdoch, players’ player – Emily Holmes.
• Shooters Sparks: Umpires’ player – Beth Morgan, players’ player – Rebecca Heath.
• Shooters Flames: Umpires’ player – Lucy White, players’ player – Naomi Parker.
• Trust Helping Hands: Umpires’ player – Lucie Staniland, players’ player – Rachel Goodman.
• Thunderbirds: Umpires’ player – Carolyn Stacey, players’ player – Lauren Simmonds.
• Pink Ladies: Umpires’ player – Jo Reeves, players’ player – Charlotte Brookes.
• BDR: Umpires’ and players’ player – Ami Merens-Dixon

​Stratford Ladies Blues 43 Trust Helping Hands 33
Comets Tornadoes 44 BDR 29
Shooters Sparks 49 Pink Ladies 5
Shooters Flames 43 Thunderbirds 13

After a break of over a month due to postponed games and the Christmas break, teams welcomed a bright morning to get back into the swing of things.  The match between Stratford Ladies Blues and Trust Helping Hands was close throughout.  Stratford took an early 5 goal lead in the first quarter but Trust pulled it back.  Throughout the match the score remained close and was tied midway through the last quarter, but Stratford took control when it mattered and stretched their lead to take the 5 points moving them up to 2nd position in the table behind their stable mates, Purples who had a bye this week.

Comets Tornadoes and BDR played out a good natured and particularly clean game; the umpires's whistles were quiet a lot of the game! Comets had a strong squad and mixed up positions utilising many different shooters to keep the score tally rising.  Ella Kirby was particularly on form in the circle gaining recognition from both the umpires and the opposition for the player awards.  Despite Helen Handy [also picking up both umpires' and players' player] and Jenny Darby using their height well in defence for BDR, it wasn't enough to keep Comets from taking the win and moving up to 3rd place in the table.

Shooters Sparks took a blow in the first minute of the game when Deenie Gibson fell and banged her head.  Ultimately uninjured, she came off court as a precaution and sub Anna Philpott was brought on.  Rebecca Heath, normally at home in the shooting circle, took on the position of Centre and provided great support before returning to her natural habitat later in the match.  Pink Ladies also moved positions around showing adaptability.  Kerry Fox starting and finishing at Centre provided her team with a strong performance at each position she played.  Sparks' win moves them up from 7th position to 5th.

Thunderbirds had just 6 players this weekend and so played without a wing, which is always a tall order, but against a strong Shooters Flames side, it will have felt like hard work.  They kept their heads up and fought throughout, Carolyn Stacey providing great support mid court earning her both umpires' and players' player.  However, with Naomi Parker [umpires' player] and Dannie Sutton [players' player] on form with their shooting, the 6 players of Thunderbirds couldn't stop them taking a convincing win.

Player of the match awards:

Stratford Ladies Blues: Umpires' player - Amy Towne, Players' player - Caroline Whitfield
Trust Helping Hands: Umpires' and players' player - Katie Desmond
Comets Tornadoes: Umpires' and players' player - Ella Kirby
BDR: Umpires' and players' player - Helen Handy
Shooters Sparks: Umpires' and players' player - Emma Slater
Pink Ladies: Umpires' and players' player - Kerry Fox
Shooters Flames: Umpires' player - Naomi Parker, Players' player - Dannie Sutton
Thunderbirds: Umpires' and players' player - Carolyn Stacey