• ​Shooters Flames 45 Trust Helping Hands 24
• Stratford Ladies Purples 47 Thunderbirds 3 21
• Thunderbirds 1 17 Comets Tornadoes 42
• BDR 60 Thunderbirds 5 8
• Thunderbirds 2 36 Thunderbirds 4 18
• Stratford Ladies Blues 34 Shooters Sparks 28

The final matches of the year were played out on a cold morning this weekend.  Shooters Flames met Trust Helping Hands in the early game.  The 2nd placed team beat Trust by just 3 goals on their first meeting earlier in the season.  This time around they demonstrated their class from the outset, their coaching and team effort evident across the court.  Their passing in and around the shooting circle was quick and efficient, and mid court they used 'give and go' passing to great effect.  Their speed and accuracy left Trust chasing the game from the first quarter.  Some excellent shots in the final quarter from Trust's Vicky Harrison closed the gap a little and ensured Trust took a point from the match.

Stratford Ladies Purples met Thunderbirds 3.  They began the match with just 6 players and the Thunderbirds side worked hard to capitalise on this advantage.  With Sam Murdoch arriving for the later part of the game to bring Stratford back to full strength, the 3rd placed team managed to keep ahead and take the 5 points.  Captain Poppy Paylor at C for Thunderbirds gave a strong performance supporting her team across the court and picking up the player award from both the umpires and the opposition.  Thunderbirds performance secured them a point for keeping within half the winning score.

Thunderbirds 1 met 4th placed Comets Tornadoes.  With 3 players playing up for the team, they were not their familiar squad but they took on the match with positivity as every week.  Freya Richardson at C gave the team great cross court support and picked up the oppositions award, while Frankie Benjamin at GD caught the eye of the umpires.  The umpires also picked out Comets' GD for their award in the form of Lottie Mayers and her strong defensive performance.  

In the late games BDR met Thunderbirds 5.  The Thunderbirds team bringing a positive aim to the 2nd round matches to target the score from the first round.  Captain Lindsay Ampuller anchored her team well throughout playing at C and WA and moving the ball throughout the court.  Liv Clayton showed her adaptability playing at WA, GA & C and contributing well in each position.  Milly Sturt impressed at both ends of the court playing 2 quarters in the defensive circle and also having a strong presence at GS for the last quarter, her performance picking up the oppositions award.  The umpires' selected Alice Southall for their award as she was consistent throughout the match but really made a difference with some excellent shots in the final quarter - during which the team scored 5 of their 8 goals!  Chloe Hancox took the umpires' award for BDR for her consistent effort throughout the game, whilst Thunderbirds awarded the player award to Kate Wallace who, playing mid court, took a tumble and bashed her face quite badly yet came back on later in the game not letting the fall affect her game.

The Thunderbirds derby was between Teams 2 and 4.  Lauren Simmonds at GD for Team 2 used her height, all round skill and determination to good effect, and impressed both the umpires and opposition picking up both player awards.  Five players on court were playing their 2nd match of the morning.  Holly Roberts for Team 2, having just played up for Team 1 and for Team 4, Sophia French and Mica Grace who also played up for Team 1, and Olivia Peachey and Maddy Phillips who played up for Team 3.  Team 4 captain, Tilly Pettitt at WA, led her team to keep within half the winning score of their more experienced stable mates and picked up well earned umpires' and opposition's players awards.

League leaders Stratford Ladies Blues met Shooters Sparks.  6th placed Sparks brought the game to Blues from the outset winning the first quarter by 10 goals to 5.  The 2nd quarter saw Blues pick up the pace and scoring 13 goals in that period they took a 3 goal lead into half time.  The 3rd quarter was drawn with both teams scoring just 5 goals.. equally, in the final quarter both teams scored 10 goals.  Blues won it in that 2nd quarter!  Sparks narrowly missing out on 2 points losing by just 6 goals, but taking a well earned point from the match.  A great performance for them against the league leaders!

Player of the match awards:​

• Shooters Flames: Umpires' player - Jemma Moore, Players' player - Sian Betteridge
• Trust Helping Hands: Umpires' player - Rachel Goodman, Players' player - Vicky Harrison
• Stratford Ladies Purples: Umpires' player - Laura Urquhart, Players' player - Sarah Bartley
• Thunderbirds 3: Umpires' and players' player - Poppy Paylor
• Thunderbirds 1: Umpires' player - Frankie Benjamin, Players' player - Freya Richardson
• Comets Tornadoes: Umpires' player - Sophie Hodges, Players' player - Alma Warburton
• BDR: Umpires' players - Chloe Hancox, Players' player - Kate Wallace
• Thunderbirds 5: Umpires' player - Alice Southall, Players' player - Emilia Sturt
• Thunderbirds 2: Umpires' and players' player - Lauren Simmonds
• Thunderbirds 4: Umpires' and players' player - Tilly Pettitt
• Stratford Ladies Blues: Umpires' player - Sophie Amphlett, Players' player - Helen Williams
• Shooters Sparks: Umpires' player - Kara Cooke, Players' player - Laura Tolley

​Thunderbirds 5 5 Stratford Ladies Purples 82
Thunderbirds 3 9 Trust Helping Hands 54
Shooters Sparks 24 Comets Tornadoes 28
BDR 16 Shooters Flames 44
Thunderbirds 4 15 Stratford Ladies Blues 58
Thunderbirds 1 23 Thunderbirds 2 33

Thunderbirds 5 went into their match against Stratford Ladies Purples with the goal of not conceding as many goals as at their last meeting. Alex Vedy did not play in the first fixture against Purples but certainly made her mark in this one giving strength in defence. Esme Fereday played in various positions for Thunderbirds and contributed well to their overall performance.  Liv Clayton at GA impressed both the umpires and the opposition ... reflected in the fact that Phindie Nduna, GD for Purples, also picked up both player awards.  Thunderbirds didn't quite achieve their goal, but Purples only scored 3 more against them on this occasion so 

On the next court Thunderbirds 3 took on Trust Helping Hands.  Thunderbirds played an adaptable game, with players changing position and mixing up the play.  Their team spirit and determination was evident  throughout the match, in no small part driven by their 8th player on the sidelines in the form of team manager, Alex Burnard, providing support and encouragement at all times.  Captain Poppy Paylor was strong in mid court, playing different positions, and providing all round support for her team, earning her the opposition's player award.  Hannah Cumberworth in defence was effective at getting some fantastic interceptions both in mid court and in the circle, and deserved her umpires' award.  Rachel Goodman worked hard for Trust at C and picked up both player awards, while Charlotte Harris at GS had her strongest game for the team to date.  A thoroughly enjoyable game for all concerned.  Not to exclude umpire Beth Pickering, who was observed by an assessor and passed her C award pre-assessment - so congratulations to her!

The final early game between Shooters Sparks and Comets Tornadoes was a much closer affair.  Comets, as last week against Sparks' club mates Flames, were a player short and so had to drop a wing and play with 6.  Credit to them that 2 weeks running they have been involved in super tight matches while at a squad disadvantage.  Comets' GD, Helen Mellor, effectively took Sparks' GA, Lorraine Whitmore out of the game with her strong defensive game - earning her the umpires' player award.  Sparks benefited from the return of GS Bex Heath in her first match of the season.  She and Katy Cwojdzinski at GD provided the team with great vocal support from each end of the court and the team worked well together across the court to keep the score within 4 of Comets' winning total earning Sparks 2 well deserved points.  

BDR met 2nd placed Shooters Flames in the late match.  Flames' defensive partnership of Karen Philpott and Scarlett Hitchman made life difficult for BDR in the circle making interceptions and forcing the held ball and getting critical turnovers.  Ami Mertens-Dixon at GS for BDR impressed the umpires with her effectiveness in the circle despite the defensive pressure.  At the other end of the court, Flames' attack were on form in the shape of Dannie Sutton and Sian Betteridge, with Dannie picking up both the umpires' and the opposition's player awards.

Thunderbirds 4 took on top of the table Stratford Ladies Blues.  They took the game to Blues and did not give up at any point.  Holly Binks started the game at GD but moved to GA.  Marked by strong defensive player Helen Williams, she was not phased and used skill and technique to create shooting opportunities and made some excellent shots in the process.  Tilly Pettitt at WA for Thunderbirds also played a strong game as captain, leading her team well on court and providing great mid court support.  The win for Blues keeps them 3 points clear at the top.

The Thunderbirds derby game between teams 1 & 2 was the final late game of the weekend.  Team 2 kept Team 1 to one of their lowest scoring matches of the season so far supported by a strong performance by Mia Coles at GD who picked up the umpires' award.  Evie Allwood at GS for Team 1 gave a strong performance noted by the umpires.  The win and 5 points for Team 2 moves them up the table, hopping above Shooters Sparks.

• Thunderbirds 5: Umpires' and players' player - Liv Clayton
• Stratford Ladies Purples: Umpires' and players' player - Phindiwe Nduna
• Thunderbirds 3: Umpires' player - Hannah Cumberworth
• Trust Helping Hands: Umpires' and players' player - Rachel Goodman
• Shooters Sparks: Umpires' player - Kara Cooke, Players' player - Bex Heath
• Comets Tornadoes: Umpires' player - Ella Kirby, Players' player - Helen Mellor
• BDR: Umpires' player - Ami Mertens-Dixon, Players' player - Ildi Booth
• Shooters Flames: Umpires' and players' player - Dannie Sutton
• Thunderbirds 4: Umpires' players - Holly Binks, Players' player - Tilly Pettitt
• Stratford Ladies Blues: Umpires' player - Sam Murdoch, Players' player - Beth Pickering
• Thunderbirds 1: Umpires' player - Evie Allwood, Players' player - Freya Richardson
• Thunderbirds 2: Umpires' player - Mia Coles, Player's player - Holly Roberts