- Shooters Flames 23 Comets Tornadoes 36
- BDR 18 Trust Helping Hands 48
- Thunderbirds 25 Stratford Ladies Blues 48
- Pink Ladies 21 Stratford Ladies Purples 60
Third place Comets Tornadoes met with Shooter Flames in the early match. Flames were supported with a number of Sparks' players playing up on their bye week. The game was well supported even on a brisk morning [as GK on the other court I was distracted by the encouragement from players and supporters alike on more than one occasion!] A competitive match with lots of support is absolutely the aim of the game! Shooters made great interceptions throughout, with Sian Betteridge covering the court well and providing great all round support at C [Opposition's player]. Robyn Beebe, playing up from Sparks at GD, took the umpires' award for a great defensive performance against Ella Kirby at GA for Comets who took the oppositions' player award for some great shooting. Flames scored the exact same number of goals as the teams' previous meeting earlier in the season while Comets scored 4 fewer on this occasion; Flames taking a point for being within half of the winning score.
BDR met Trust Helping Hands on the other court. The Trust team needing players to adapt to positions slightly as they were short on defensive players for the game. The first quarter was tight, end to end goals and the score stayed within 1 goal to the first interval. Trust, boosted by some excellent shooting from Holly Jackson [opposition's player] Vicky Lacey and Sally Morris who rotated the attacking positions between then, and fabulous centre court support from Rachel Goodman at WD [umpires' player], strengthened their lead after the first interval. This despite excellent defensive work for BDR from both Jenny Darby at GD [umpires' player] and Debbie Mertens-Dixon at GK [opposition's player]
In the later game, Thunderbirds met 2nd placed Stratford Ladies Blues. Stratford, with an on form Jo Wish as GS [umpires' and opposition's player], took an early lead 11-5 in the first quarter. The second quarter was drawn 8 all and Thunderbirds kept within 6 goals of Stratford. Ellie Heron for Thunderbirds took a heavy fall and needed to come off for a blood stoppage. A quick change around saw Carloyn Stacey move from GD to C, [umpires' player] and Rachel Hollis sub on to allow Ellie to patch herself up. Stratford stretched their lead and went inot the third interval with 36 goals, double Thunderbirds' current tally. Ellie returned to the court and earned herself the opposition's player award; the final quarter stronger for Thunderbirds again and they closed the gap and bagged a well earned point for being over half the winning score.
The final match of the week saw opposite ends of the league table meet as Pink Ladies took on Stratford Ladies Blues. A strong performance from Pink Ladies saw them notch up one of their highest goal tallies of the season, despite strong opposition from the league leaders. Stratford's shooting partnership of Rebecca England and Laura Urquhart [umpires' player] are tough to break down and the managed a great goal tally between them, despite the best efforts of Renae Hawkyard at GK for Pink Ladies [umpire's player]
Player of the match awards:
Shooters Flames: Umpires' player - Sian Betteridge, Players' player - Robyn Beebe
Comets Tornadoes: Umpires' player - Lottie Mayers, Players' player - Ella Kirby
BDR: Umpires' player - Debbie Merten-Dixon, Players player - Jenny Darby
Trust Helping Hands: Umpire's player - Rachel Goodman, Players' player - Holly Jackson
Thunderbirds: Umpires' player - Carolyn Stacey, Players' player - Ellie Heron
Stratford Ladies Blues: Umpires' and players' player - Jo Wish
Pink Ladies: Umpires' player - Renae Hawkyard, Players' player - Jo Haslam
Stratford Ladies Purples: Umpires' player - Laura Urquhart, Players' player - Emily Holmes
