The Haines Watts-sponsored Blue & Gold led 17-11 after the first 15 minutes at the Team Bath Arena on Easter Saturday but Stars, marshalled by experienced player-coach Jo Trip, tightened up defensively and turned the game on its head by half-time.

Jayda Pechova, named as Team Bath’s Most Valuable Player, enjoyed an excellent battle with South African goal-shooter Sigi Burger but Stars were able to keep pushing on and had stretched their lead to nine goals by the end of the third quarter before seeing out a 61-51 victory.

Asha Francis, Team Bath Netball Head Coach, said: “I felt like it was one of those days where we just didn’t click or do the fundamentals we set out to do. Even though we were winning after the first 15 minutes I could see it bubbling, we weren’t controlling the pace of the game and Stars didn’t feel as pressured as they should have done being six goals down.

“It felt like an entirely opposite game to last week against Leeds Rhinos but it’s all part of the learning. We’re really good at finding momentum when we’re up but we’re struggling to find it when we’re down, that’s the next piece for us to find.”

Pechova added: “We started really well but we dropped off a bit in the second quarter and that’s what we’ll look at next week in training. I think we need to be more consistent with our performances, we allowed Stars to get a run on us and we couldn’t quite get back from that.”

A tentative start to the game saw possession change hands a number of times thanks to a combination of turnovers and errors but neither team was able to take advantage until midway through the first quarter when Team Bath finally edged a couple of goals clear.

They went on to score five in a row as good defensive pressure from Pechova and Lily-May Catling was converted by Betsy Creak and Kadeen Corbin, who produced some confident finishes from distance as Team Bath took command.

A loose pass allowed Stars to cut the gap to one but Team Bath were looking strong across the court, epitomised by a fantastic take at full-stretch and long-range finish from Corbin, as they stretched their advantage to 17-11.

Sophie Kelly was introduced at goal-attack for the second quarter and made an instant impression, netting the first goal after an athletic interception at the other end of the court from fellow University of Bath sporting scholar Pechova.

Stars also made a switch in defence, with Trip moving to goal-keeper and Jess Haynes coming at goal-defence, and it made a huge impact on the game as they began to crank up the pressure. Hannah Passmore came on at goal-shooter but Team Bath were struggling to feed their attackers and a run of goals at the other end saw the lead wiped out with four minutes of the quarter remaining.

Play became scrappy again and neither team was able to net for the next couple of minutes but Stars finally managed to edge ahead and three quickfire goals from Burger saw them pull away before Kelly netted on the buzzer to cut Team Bath’s half-time deficit to 27-25.

Team Bath switched up their defensive mid-court for the third quarter with Caroline Mtukule coming on at goal-defence, Catling moving to wing-defence and Imogen Allison pushing forward to centre.

However, it was Stars who started on the front foot again and they gradually eked their lead out to eight goals as Team Bath continued to struggle in attack. Corbin made a high-energy return at goal-shooter to fire the crowd up and Pechova produced some more fantastic turnovers during her absorbing battle with Burger but the home side were unable to build any sustained momentum and found themselves trailing 44-35 going into the final quarter.

Summer Artman came on at goal-keeper against her former club for the final 15 minutes and Bethan Dyke returned at centre midway through the quarter but while Team Bath kept battling away, it was Stars who remained on top and a run of seven goals from eight saw them push their lead out to 57-43.

The crowd were still cheering Team Bath all the way, though, and were rewarded with a strong finish from their side as they scored the final five goals to cut the final deficit to 61-51.

The Blue & Gold have two more games left in their run of five successive home fixtures, against title-chasing London Pulse on Friday 14th April and Celtic Dragons on Friday 21st April. Centre-pass for both matches is 7.30pm and tickets are available at netball.teambath.com/fixtures.

Team Bath Netball is supported by its Principal and Pathway Partner, chartered accountants Haines Watts; Bath Building Society and Rengen Developments, who are overall Team Bath Partners; Centurion Chartered Financial Planners; Ecus Ltd, our environment partner; and PDS Coaching, who provide performance mentoring. Team Bath’s suppliers include O’Neills and 2XU.

Match stats

Team Bath starting combination: GS Betsy Creak, GA Kadeen Corbin, WA Ali Wilshier, C Bethan Dyke, WD Imogen Allison, GD Lily-May Catling, GK Jayda Pechova. Impact players: Summer Artman, Caroline Mtukule, Kirsty Harris, Sophie Kelly, Hannah Passmore.

Severn Stars starting combination: GS Sigi Burger, GA Grace Namana, WA Jess Shaw, C Gabby Marshall, WD Rachael Fee, GD Jo Trip, GK Jasmine Brown. Impact players: Jess Haynes, Ruth Hughes, Sarah MacPhail, Lily Smith, Kelsie Taylor.

Quarter-time scores (Team Bath first): Q1 17-11. Q2 25-27 (8-16). Q3 35-44 (10-17). Q4. 51-61 (16-17).

Most Valuable Player: Jayda Pechova.

With thanks to the Team Bath Press Office

A 1,700-strong crowd at the Team Bath Arena saw the Haines Watts-sponsored Blue & Gold produce plenty of fight, flair and belief during the first three quarters, with just a goal or two separating the teams in a couple of periods as they made the visitors work hard for their 55-45 advantage.

However, Storm raced away during a one-sided final quarter which they won 25-9 to seal an 80-54 victory, their biggest win of the season to date.

Team Bath Netball Head Coach Asha Francis believes there was plenty for her squad to take from the game, saying: “We just produced three quarters of exceptional netball against a top side who should be winning the championship this year. The fourth quarter was more information about where we are at when we don’t have that momentum – we need to see how we can regain that feelgood factor for ourselves or what we can do as coaches from the bench to reignite that on court.

“Outworking the opposition was one of the things we have been looking at and we absolutely did that tonight in three of the four quarters. We chased down every ball, we fought for every rebound, we didn’t make life comfortable for Storm. They made errors you probably wouldn’t expect.”

Ali Wilshier, named as Team Bath’s Most Valuable Player, added: “The end score doesn’t show it but I thought it was a massive step up from us tonight in the first three quarters. Each week we are seeing progression and that’s what we will take from the game.”

Team Bath had been challenged by Francis to fight for every ball after last week’s defeat to Severn Stars and they did just that during a breathless first quarter, going toe-to-toe with the league leaders.

The hosts forced the first turnover as they raced into a 3-0 lead and they maintained their advantage under midway through the quarter when Storm edged ahead for the first time at 6-5. However, they were never able to get more than two goals clear as Team Bath produced a brilliant team performance.

Kadeen Corbin was at the heart of it, the goal-attack relishing her battle with former team-mate Layla Guscoth and playing with her trademark flair as she linked superbly with Wilshier, Bethan Dyke and shooter Betsy Creak, who netted on the buzzer to ensure there was just one goal separating the teams at the break.

Storm made a rapid start to the second period, though, and quickly stretched their lead to 23-17 by rattling off five unanswered goals. Team Bath switched things up in defence, with Jayda Pechova coming on at goal-defence before moving to goal-keeper later in the quarter, and the remainder of the half was much more competitive as the Future Roses star, Imogen Allison and Dyke all made tenacious interceptions to fire up the crowd.

Corbin and Creak were also in fine form at the other end of the court but, with Proscovia Peace settling into her metronomic shooting rhythm for Storm, the visitors were able to eke their half-time lead out to 39-31.

Malawi captain Caroline Mtukule was introduced at the start of the third quarter for her Super League debut along with shooter Hannah Passmore, while Kirsty Harris came on at wing-attack midway through the period, and all made a good impact as Team Bath continued to make Storm work hard for their advantage.

Passmore twice scored three goals in quick succession to cut Storm’s lead to seven but the visitors were able to reply in kind, including netting the last three goals of the quarter to edge another competitive period 18-16 and extend their lead to 55-45.

Artman, Catling and Creak were reintroduced for the fourth quarter along with goal-attack Sophie Kelly, who was going up against the club for whom she made her Super League debut aged 16. However, they couldn’t prevent Storm totally dominating the final 15 minutes as the visitors won the quarter 25-9 to seal an ultimately convincing victory.

Next up for Team Bath is a trip to face defending champions Manchester Thunder on Friday 17th March before they return to the Team Bath Arena to face Saracens Mavericks on Friday 24th March (7.30pm centre-pass). That is the first of five successive home games for the Blue & Gold, with tickets for all the matches available to purchase at netball.teambath.com/tickets.

Team Bath Netball is supported by its Principal and Pathway Partner, chartered accountants Haines Watts; Bath Building Society and Rengen Developments, who are overall Team Bath Partners; Centurion Chartered Financial Planners; Ecus Ltd, our environment partner; and PDS Coaching, who provide performance mentoring. Team Bath’s suppliers include O’Neills, 2XU and Pulseroll.

Match stats

Team Bath starting combination: GS Betsy Creak, GA Kadeen Corbin, WA Ali Wilshier, C Bethan Dyke, WD Imogen Allison, GD Lily-May Catling, GK Summer Artman. Impact players: Jayda Pechova, Caroline Mtukule, Kirsty Harris, Sophie Kelly, Hannah Passmore.

Surrey Storm starting combination: GS Proscovia Peace, GA Sophie Drakeford-Lewis, WA Yasmin Brookes, C Mikki Austin, WD Amy Flanagan, GD Layla Guscoth, GK Leah Middleton. Impact players: Sophia Candappa, Niamh Cooper, Hannah Knights, Felisitus Kwangwa, Frankie Wells.

Quarter scores (Team Bath first): Q1 17-18. Q2 31-39 (14-21). Q3 45-55 (14-16). Q4 54-80 (9-25).

Most Valuable Player: Ali Wilshier.

With thanks to Team Bath

The Haines Watts-sponsored Blue & Gold fed off the energy of a near 1,500-strong crowd to produce some excellent netball right across the court and build an 11-goal lead early in the third quarter, only for Sirens to crank up the pressure and draw level.

The hosts managed to edge ahead again during a tense final period before Sirens once again cut the gap to one. They were camped in their shooting circle for the final 30 seconds but Team Bath were determined to get the win on the board and tenacious defending, inspired by a deafening roar from the fans, saw them hold on for a 49-48 victory.

Head Coach Asha Francis said: “We asked the fans to bring the noise tonight and they certainly did that, it was a phenomenal atmosphere. I was trying to talk to the players and I couldn’t get their attention because they couldn’t hear me!

“We’re really pleased to come away with the win. We didn’t go off-task in defence in those closing stages, we just kept pushing and pushing, forced them into mistakes and wound down the clock nicely.
“We started so well and were playing with such a nice flow but when the pressure came on we stopped seeing what we had been when we were relaxed. All of this is good learning about what we do and how we respond, though, and every time we play we get more information about the squad.”

Imogen Allison, named as Most Valuable Player, added: “We really put on a show for the home crowd tonight, they were super loud and it was pretty incredible in here. We put out a really good first half, which is something we’ve been looking to do, and the second half will help us keep learning as a team.”

A revamped pre-match lightshow got the four-figure crowd in good voice from the off and they were given even more reason to cheer as Team Bath flew out of the traps, racing into a 4-0 lead. Sirens started to settle, closing the gap to 7-5 midway through the first quarter, but Team Bath were looking slick and confident in attack as they capitalised on some brilliant turnovers from Jayda Pechova, Lily-May Catling and Allison.

Bethan Dyke and Ali Wilshier provided some fantastic feeds to Betsy Creak and Sophie Kelly, whose excellent movement and clinical finishing secured a six-goal burst that put Team Bath 14-6 up with four minutes of the quarter remaining. Sirens replied with five quickfire goals of their own but the hosts were well worth their 15-11 lead going into the break.

Team Bath introduced goal-shooter Hannah Passmore and goal-keeper Summer Artman for the second quarter and both had an immediate impact, Artman forcing a turnover and Passmore netting the first two goals of the period.

Sirens were more than playing their part in an entertaining encounter but Team Bath were able to continue edging further clear, with Kadeen Corbin coming on to help them move 24-18 clear.

A heavy fall for Sirens wing-attack Beth Dix led to her limping off court and slowed the momentum of both teams, with a scrappy three minutes seeing a number of turnovers come to nothing as possession was handed back and forward. Eventually the match settled and an exchange of goals in the closing stages meant Team Bath’s lead remained at six at half-time.

That was soon stretched to 34-23 as the Blue & Gold made a strong start to the third quarter. However, mistakes began to creep into Team Bath’s play and Sirens ruthlessly took advantage, with shooter Bethan Goodwin netting 11 of the next 13 goals to put the match right back in the balance.

With captain Catling back on at goal-defence and Pechova reverting to goal-keeper, Team Bath were able to put the brakes on Sirens’ comeback charge but their lead was reduced to 39-36 going into the final quarter.

It wasn’t long before Sirens drew level at 40-40 as the tension levels rose in the Team Bath Arena but a brilliant tip from Pechova allowed the hosts to regain a two-goal cushion. That was how it remained for the next eight minutes as the sides exchanged goals but when tenacious pressure from Wilshier forced a Sirens mistake and Team Bath went 49-46 up the game finally looked to be in the bag.

However, two turnovers went unconverted allowing Sirens to cut the gap to one goal with 40 seconds remaining. They spent most of that time in and around the shooting circle but magnificent defending – inspired by a deafening noise from the home crowd – meant Team Bath were see out the win, with the buzzer being greeted by a huge roar.

Next up for Team Bath is a West Country derby against Severn Stars at the University of Worcester Arena on Saturday 4th March (7pm centre-pass). They are then back in action at the Team Bath Arena on Friday 10th March against Surrey Storm (7.30pm centre-pass) – tickets for that match, and all Team Bath home fixtures, are available now at netball.teambath.com/tickets.

Team Bath Netball is supported by its Principal and Pathway Partner, chartered accountants Haines Watts; Bath Building Society and Rengen Developments, who are overall Team Bath Partners; Centurion Chartered Financial Planners; Ecus Ltd, our environment partner; and PDS Coaching, who provide performance mentoring. Team Bath’s suppliers include O’Neills, 2XU and Pulseroll.

Match stats

Team Bath Netball starting combination: GS Betsy Creak, GA Sophie Kelly, WA Bethan Dyke, C Ali Wilshier, WD Imogen Allison, GD Lily-May Catling, GK Jayda Pechova. Impact players: Summer Artman, Annie O’Rourke, Kirsty Harris, Kadeen Corbin, Hannah Passmore.

Strathclyde Sirens starting combination: GS Bethan Goodwin, GA Niamh McCall, WA Beth Dix, C Kelly Boyle, WD Claire Maxwell, GD Emily Nicholl, GK Towera Vinkhumbo. Impact players: Emma Barrie, Natalie Bright, Stella Oyella, Abi Robson, Abby Tyrrell.

Quarter scores (Team Bath first): Q1 15-11. Q2 28-22 (13-11). Q3 39-36 (11-14). Q4 49-48 (10-12).

Most Valuable Player: Imogen Allison.

With thanks to the Team Bath Press Office

Anna Stembridge, Superleague Head Coach for the Haines Watts-sponsored Blue & Gold, has been pleased with her highly-talented squad’s individual and collective performances so far following 10 wins from their opening 11 matches.

As the action moves from Wakefield to London’s Copper Box Arena for the final nine games of the regular season, Stembridge is expecting her table-topping team to come under growing pressure from the chasing pack but cannot wait to see how they rise to the challenge.

“We’ve all been loving the season so far and now it’s about keeping that sense of energy and fun as we push on into the business end,” said Stembridge, whose side faces Welsh rivals Celtic Dragons on Sunday (12pm centre-pass).

“It’s been pleasing to see how we have matched up against different oppositions and different styles, and all 15 players in our squad have taken to the court which is really important in ensuring they are ‘good to go’ whenever we call on them.

“It’s great that we’ve won 10 out of 11 so far, and that loss was only by a single goal, but we are under no illusion that the next part of the season is going to be harder. Teams know what everyone else is about now and, with all of this year’s matches being shown on YouTube, there is so much information out there for players and coaches.

“Teams are going to have to be smarter in the second half but that is something we are determined to thrive on. Ultimately we want to be the best so we have to play against the best.

“The players are continuously asking more from themselves, their team-mates and us coaches, as you would expect from such a talented and driven group. In training last week we asked ourselves what are we happy with so far, what we need to build on and what we want to focus on moving forward.

“We’re still tweaking and building on connections, and that’s why I know we still have much more to give during the coming weeks. We can’t wait to get going again.”

Sunday’s match will be shown live on Sky Sports YouTube and the link will be available at netball.teambath.com/fixtures and on the TeamBathTV YouTube channel.

Meanwhile, Team Bath U21 co-captain Molly Hole has been selected in the England Roses Academy squad for 2021 after impressing at trials last weekend. The talented defender captained England U17s to the Netball Europe title last year.

Team Bath Netball is the Superleague franchise for the South West of England and has Academy Training Centres in every district – Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire. The club is supported by its Principal Partner, chartered accountants Haines Watts, who are also a pathway partner, and by Rengen Developments and Centurion Chartered Financial Planners. O’Neills are Team Bath’s official kit supplier.

Courtesy of the Team Bath Press Office at Matchtight

Rachel Shaw beating Lightning’s Natalie Panagarry to the ball. (Photo: Chloe Neill)

It was a fitting conclusion to an excellent season for the Sitec-sponsored Blue & Gold, who once again showed tremendous character allied with outstanding quality to record a thrilling 62-56 victory at London’s Copper Box Arena.

And there was more cause for celebration when goal attack Sophie Drakeford-Lewis was named as Vitality Superleague Young Player of the Year, while co-captain Serena Guthrie was selected at centre in the Superleague All-Star VII for 2019.

Team Bath Netball Superleague Head Coach Anna Stembridge said: “It was great to finish on a winning note and exactly what this group of players deserved for their efforts this season, Jess [Thirlby] and I are really proud of them.

“The players were obviously disappointed to have lost to Manchester Thunder in a semi-final that could have gone either way but they applied themselves brilliantly in training all week and really wanted that win.

Summer Artman enjoyed a good battle against Lightning shooter Mary Cholhok. Photo: Chloe Neill.

“They have shown real passion, grit and determination throughout the season and that ability and belief to come from behind to win has been a massive step forward compared to recent years. It was a fitting way to finish a very good season.”

Team Bath started with the same seven that had narrowly lost out to Thunder, who went on to claim the overall Superleague title with their own stunning comeback victory over Wasps in the Grand Final.

However, the Blue & Gold had to make an early change when co-captain Eboni Usoro-Brown, who was on a three-player shortlist for Vitality Player of the Year, picked up a knock and was replaced in defence by Welsh international Leila Thomas.

Lightning also lost their goal defence, Vicki Oyesola, to injury during a feisty and competitive first quarter that ended with Team Bath trailing 16-14.

That gap grew to 30-25 at half-time as Lightning got the better of the second quarter but Team Bath, with Thomas and the outstanding Summer Artman forging a solid combination in defence, chipped away at that lead throughout the third period and only trailed 44-43 going into the last 15 minutes of the season.

Three early goals saw Team Bath regain the lead for the first time since the opening quarter and provided the platform for them to finish the season with a flourish.

Guthrie and Player of the Match Imogen Allison – who was also shortlisted for the Superleague Young Player of the Year award – provided plenty of turnover ball and, along with the ever-influential Rachel Shaw, a constant stream of opportunities that Drakeford-Lewis and shooter Kim Commane clinically converted.

“At half-time we asked the players if they were sticking to the game plan and they weren’t,” said Stembridge. “They did so in the second half and what we saw was their ability to keep calm under pressure and be more clinical in attack.

“It was a very pleasing performance all round, particularly after losing Eboni’s influence so early in the game. Leila came in and did a brilliant job and Summer was just outstanding right from the off.

“Sophie and Kim have formed a formidable partnership, as have Imo and Serena, and Rachel was an unsung hero once again – you know she will deliver week in, week out and you come to expect it but her work in both attack and defence is remarkable.

“All of the squad have contributed this season and those bronze medals were well deserved.”

Supporters will have chance to train with the Blue & Gold stars on Saturday (May 25) when the end-of-season celebrations take place at the University of Bath Sports Training Village from 10am to 4pm.

There will be playing and training sessions throughout the day, ranging from Mini Netballers in Years 4-6 to Walking Netball for adults – all led by members of the Team Bath Superleague squad.

There will also be more ‘meet and greet’ opportunities, question and answer sessions and a chance to grab selfies and an autograph. Visit netball.teambath.com for further details.

Team Bath Netball are sponsored by Sitec and supported by partners Mogers Drewett, Soldi and Netball South West. Centurion Chartered Financial Planners are supporting the team’s performance analysis and people development capabilities, Viper 10 are their Sportswear Supplier and Skins provide the team with compression wear.

Courtesy of the Team Bath Press Office at Matchtight

Jess Thirlby after the on-court presentation. Photo: Bryn Vaile for Matchtight.

Roared on by another sell-out 1,300-strong crowd at the Team Bath Arena, the Sitec-sponsored Blue & Gold knew a win would guarantee their place in the top four and quickly calmed the nerves by racing into an early 8-0 lead.

Pulse battled away but Team Bath remained dominant as a formidable performance saw them ease to the victory that secured third place in the final table, level on points with runners-up Manchester Thunder who they will visit in the semi-finals next Saturday (May 11, 7pm centre-pass).

Loughborough Lightning clinched fourth spot with victory against Celtic Dragons, meaning they will face Wasps in the other semi-final – the Grand Final is taking place at London’s Copper Box Arena on Saturday, May 18.

Superleague Head Coach Anna Stembridge said: “Credit to the girls, there were some moments of absolute brilliance tonight and it was great to get a scoreline like that to help build confidence and conviction going into the semi-finals.”

Sophie Drakeford-Lewis on the ball in front of a sell-out crowd Photo: Bryn Vaile for Matchtight.

Shooter Kim Commane, who was named as the Genuine Car Services Player of the Match, added: “I’m stoked for the girls, they did an absolutely killer performance tonight. That scoreline was a real team effort and I’m really looking forward to what next week holds for us.”

Victory was the perfect finish to the last home game for Team Bath Netball Head Coach Jess Thirlby, who is moving on this summer after 20 years of outstanding service to the Blue & Gold as both player and coach.

Former Team Bath Director of Sport Ged Roddy and Franchise Chair Sarah Mansfield presented Thirlby with flowers and a framed Blue & Gold dress during an emotional on-court ceremony after the game.

“I just want to say how much of an honour and privilege it has been to be part of Team Bath,” she said. “I absolutely love this place and if you can’t me open I am absolutely running Blue and Gold through and through.

Genuine Car Services Player of the Match Kim Commane Photo: Bryn Vaile for Matchtight.

“This year more than ever, to look around and see so many full houses has made me so proud. Bring on the semi-finals!”

Thirbly’s two children helped co-captains Serena Guthrie and Eboni Usoro-Brown lead the Blue & Gold out onto the court for what was a must-win game.

A supremely confident start saw Team Bath surge into an 8-0 lead as they zipped the ball around court with speed, flare and accuracy. Imogen Allison, Summer Artman and Guthrie all forced early turnovers as the hosts took a stranglehold on the game.

Pulse gradually settled into the match, with former Team Bath shooter Shantal Slater and Chiara Semple impressing in attack, but Sophie Drakeford-Lewis and Commane were equally clinical at the other end as the hosts maintained an 18-11 lead.

Four goals either side of the quarter break from Slater saw Pulse – who had introduced another former Blue & Gold star, England captain Ama Agbeze, at GD – close the gap to three but Team Bath quickly regained the initiative with a four-goal burst of their own.

Fantastic defensive pressure from Artman, Usoro-Brown and Allison helped to cut off the Pulse supply line, while Guthrie and Rachel Shaw were providing a steady flow of opportunities at the other end as Team Bath pulled clear once again.

The excellent Commane scored on the buzzer to give Team Bath a commanding 39-24 lead at half-time but Pulse – in their first Superleague season – were refusing to go down without a fight and rallied well in the third quarter.

They capitalised on errors from the hosts to cut the lead to 45-35 with five minutes of the quarter remaining but Team Bath found their feet again and, while they lost the quarter 15-13, they still held a comfortable 52-39 advantage going into the final 15 minutes of the league season.

Team Bath were determined to finish strongly in front of their home fans and did just that during a one-sided fourth quarter. Laura Rudland and Mia Ritchie both made a strong impact on the game after coming off the bench as the hosts wrapped up an impressive victory – their 13th of the season.

Next up is a semi-final visit to Manchester Thunder, who recovered from a third-quarter deficit to win 60-55 at Surrey Storm. The two teams met last weekend, where the Blue & Gold recorded a vital 56-53 victory to complete a league double over Thunder.

Co-captain Usoro-Brown said: “We have two very important weeks coming up and we hope to see plenty of fans in Blue & Gold behind us at the games.”

Team Bath Netball are sponsored by Sitec and supported by partners Mogers Drewett, Soldi and Netball South West. Centurion Chartered Financial Planners are supporting the team’s performance analysis and people development capabilities, Viper 10 are their Sportswear Supplier and Skins provide the team with compression wear.

Match stats

Team Bath Netball starting 7: GS Kim Commane, GA Sophie Drakeford-Lewis, WA Rachel Shaw, C Serena Guthrie, WD Imogen Allison, GD Eboni Usoro-Brown, GK Summer Artman. Replacements: Leila Thomas, Abi Robson, Mia Ritchie, Laura Rudland, Beryl Friday.

Replacements: Q4: Rudland – bench to GA; Drakeford-Lewis – GA to bench; Ritchie – bench to C; Guthrie – C to WD; Allison – WD to bench.

London Pulse starting 7: GS Shantal Slater, GA Chiara Semple, WA Ashleigh Neal, C Rose Long, WD Fionnuala Toner, GD Bea Skingsley, GK Loreen Ngwira. Replacements: Ama Agbeze, Taylor Cullen, Honor de Winton, Brie Grierson, Frankie Wells.

Replacements: Q2: Agbeze – bench to GD; Skingsley – GD to bench. Q3: Grierson – bench to WA; Neal – WA to bench. Q4: Wells – bench to GS; Slater – GS to bench.

Quarter scores (Team Bath first): Q1 18-13. Q2 39-24 (21-11). Q3 52-39 (13-15). Q4 72-50 (20-11).

Attendance: 1,300.
Genuine Car Services Player of the Match: Kim Commune.

Courtesy of the Team Bath Press Office at Matchtight Ltd.

The noisy four-figure crowd saw the Sitec-sponsored Blue & Gold struggle to find a way through Sirens’ rock-solid defence during a feisty and physical first half, which saw the visitors lead 15-9 at the end of the opening quarter and hang on to a two-goal advantage going into the interval.

Team Bath stuck with the gameplan, though, and eventually managed to pull ahead in the third quarter before seeing out a hard-fought victory – their fourth in a row as they keep up their chase for a top-four finish.

Head Superleague Coach Anna Stembridge said: “We knew it was going to be tough and credit to the girls for grinding out the win and building from quarter to quarter. I thought defensively we put in a great shift right across the court and I’m proud of the girls tonight.”

England star Serena Guthrie played a key role in the comeback with some outstanding interceptions and was named as Genuine Car Services Player of the Match.

“It’s not easy to come back against a classy side like Sirens so we’re happy to come out with the win but there is a lot of learning for us to take from the game,” she said.

“I have to say thank you so much to the fans for getting behind the team in every game this year, it has been amazing – especially for me as I have been away for so long, I love being back out there in front of the Bath crowd.”

Guthrie was the only change to Saturday’s starting seven against Celtic Dragons but, as in that match, Team Bath struggled to make the most of turnover ball in the first period.

The Sirens attack of Bethan Goodwin and Niamh McCall were clinical at the other end and it was the visitors who went into the break with an impressive 15-9 lead.

Team Bath were having to really work hard to find space in the Sirens circle and there was no let up in the defensive pressure during a physical second quarter but the hosts, with the vocal encouragement of the crowd ringing in their ears, continued to battle away and began to reap some reward.

A four-goal burst from Sophie Drakeford-Lewis saw Team Bath – who introduced Abi Robson at WD – cut the lead to two and that was how it stayed for the remainder of the half as the teams went blow for blow, with Sirens holding on to a 24-22 advantage.

The visitors made the brighter start to the third period and stretched their lead to 28-24 but Team Bath were fired up now and, inspired by some stunning interceptions from Guthrie and Summer Artman, worked their way back into the match once again.

With the ball now being fizzed in to Drakeford-Lewis and Kim Commane in attack, Team Bath had the crowd on their feet as they drew level at 32-32 before taking the lead for the first time since the second minute.

They soon found themselves 35-32 up but Sirens were not going to let the match get away from them and clawed their way back to 36-36 with a minute of the quarter remaining.

It needed another flying Guthrie intercept to regain the momentum for Team Bath and two Drakeford-Lewis goals ensured they led 38-36 going into the final period.

It remained tense and tight in the opening stages of that quarter but, as Artman and Usoro-Brown turned up the defensive pressure, Team Bath were finally able to gain some breathing space. Rachel Shaw and Robson were also working tirelessly as the hosts saw out a hard-earned four-goal victory.

The Blue & Gold are back at home on Monday (March 25) when they play host to South West rivals Severn Stars in a rearranged derby fixture. Centre-pass is 7pm and tickets are available at netball.teambath.com.

Team Bath Netball are sponsored by Sitec and supported by partners Mogers Drewett, Soldi and Netball South West. Centurion Chartered Financial Planners are supporting the team’s performance analysis and people development capabilities, Viper 10 are their Sportswear Supplier and Skins provide the team with compression wear.

Match stats

Team Bath Netball starting 7: GS Kim Commane, GA Sophie Drakeford-Lewis, WA Rachel Shaw, C Serena Guthrie, WD Imogen Allison, GD Eboni Usoro-Brown, GK Summer Artman. Replacements: Leila Thomas, Abi Robson, Mia Ritchie, Laura Rudland, Beryl Friday.

Changes: Q2: Robson – bench to WD; Allison – WD to bench.

Strathclyde Sirens starting 7: GS Bethan Goodwin, GA Niamh McCall, WA Nicola McCleary, C Gia Abernethy, WD Claire Maxwell, GD Emily Nicholl, GK Hayley Mulheron. Replacements: Emma Barrie, Kelly Boyle, Ella Gibbons.

Quarter scores (Team Bath first): Q1 9-15. Q2 22-24 (13-9). Q3 38-36 (16-12). Q4 51-47 (13-11).

Attendance: 1,100.

Genuine Car Services Player of the Match: Serena Guthrie.

Courtesy of Team Bath Press Office at Matchtight 

It will be a third successive season in the Sitec-sponsored Blue & Gold for England U21 international Allison, who has been a dynamic and increasingly influential presence at wing-defence.

Like Guthrie, who is returning to Team Bath after four outstanding years playing professionally in Australia and New Zealand, Allison can also play at centre and she cannot wait to learn from the best mid-court player in the world.

“Serena is a hero of mine and I think she is going to teach me a lot this year,” said 20-year-old Allison. “She is a truly world-class wing-defence and centre, and that is what I aspire to be. She turns over ball that no one else would think is possible and she works incredibly hard for her team-mates, she is an inspiration.

“My game has really developed over the past couple of years and I’m looking forward to continuing that in 2019. I think I was quite independent when I first arrived but my team-work has definitely improved. I might not get the interception but I can create the opportunity for a team-mate to get it instead, that’s how I feel I have improved the most. My communication on court is also better.”

Allison, who will be supported by a Whiteley Helyar sponsorship this season, and Guthrie are part of a powerful mid-court unit already confirmed for the 2019 season that also includes Mia Ritchie and Rachel Shaw, the latter combining her Superleague netball with coaching the University of Bath student team that Allison is a key member of.

“It’s going to be good fun working with Rachel as both a team-mate and a coach, she is great to be around,” said Allison, who is studying Sports & Exercise Science and is supported by a King Sporting Scholarship.

“I’m really looking forward to both the Superleague and BUCS [British Universities & Colleges Sport] seasons. There is a sense of togetherness here – we work for each other and play for each other.”

Jess Thirlby, Team Bath Netball Head Coach, said:  “Imogen is one of the brightest young talents across the league and has grown considerably season on season having only been with us for the last 2 years. I believe she has a very bright future ahead of her and she fits in very well with the squad and is an exciting athlete to work with.

“She has all the physical attributes needed to play at WD and also offers C and more than proved her worth last year with some of her best performances coming against the leagues best WA’s.

“She plays with a great sense of freedom and flair and we are excited to see her combine and work alongside Serena Guthrie. We are really pleased to welcome Imo back for the 2019 campaign”.

Fixtures for the 2019 Superleague season will be announced in early October, when season and match tickets will also go on sale. Visit netball.teambath.com for further details.

Team Bath Netball are sponsored by Sitec and supported by partners Mogers Drewett, Soldi and Netball South West. Centurion Chartered Financial Planners are supporting the team’s performance analysis and people development capabilities, Viper 10 are their Sportswear Supplier and Skins provide the team with compression wear.

Courtesy of the Team Bath Press Office at Matchtight 

The duo can boast 17 seasons of playing experience between them in the famous Blue & Gold.

Inspirational defender Beckford-Chambers, captain of Team Bath for the past three years, was part of the England Netball squad that won a historic Commonwealth Games gold in 2018.

“I’m excited to be staying with Team Bath Netball for the 2019 season ahead of what will be an exciting year for netball in the UK,” said Beckford-Chambers, who combines her netball with being a Trainee Solicitor at West Country law firm and Team Bath education partners Mogers Drewett.

“I’m very much looking forward to stepping back out in front of our Blue & Gold fans and putting my best foot forward as we aim to secure a sixth championship.”

Mia Ritchie (Photo: Clare Green)

Mid-court ‘pocket rocket’ Ritchie, a University of Bath graduate, is Team Bath’s longest-serving player and will wear the Blue & Gold for a tenth successive Superleague season in 2019.

The Head of Girls’ Games at Monkton Combe School, Ritchie – who is sponsored by Bath-based Genuine Car Services – said: “I am very much looking forward to being back in the Blue & Gold this season.

“For me, there was never any doubt that I would re-sign with the team for a tenth season and I am excited at the prospect of playing with some world-class athletes. Team Bath has been a huge part of my life and I hope I can repay the club by putting my best foot forward this season.”

Beckford-Chambers and Ritchie will both continue to play strong leadership roles for Sitec-sponsored Team Bath in 2019 alongside the two other confirmed names in the Superleague squad, player-coach Rachel Shaw and returning England star Serena Guthrie.

Jess Thirlby, Team Bath Netball Head Coach, said: “Eboni and Mia are two of the longest serving players we have at Team Bath. Their loyalty is outstanding and can be a rarity in the competitive landscape we all now work in.

“They are well respected by their team-mates and are both favourites with the fans. We are so pleased that they believe the Blue & Gold remains the best place for them to develop and pursue another title with the team.

“What is so impressive is their desire to continue improving year on year. We have no doubt hey will continue to contribute to the team’s successes both on and off the court and we look forward to working with them and the team in 2019.”

More new and returning players will be confirmed in the Team Bath squad ahead of the 2019 Superleague fixture release date in early October.

Season and match-day tickets will also be going on sale next month – visit netball.teambath.com for further details.

Team Bath Netball are sponsored by Sitec and supported by partners Mogers Drewett, Soldi and Netball South West. Centurion Chartered Financial Planners are supporting the team’s performance analysis and people development capabilities, Viper 10 are their Sportswear Supplier and Skins provide the team with compression wear.

Courtesy of the Team Bath press office at Matchtight Ltd

Errors at key moments proved costly when the Sitec-sponsored Blue & Gold were beaten by defending champions Wasps last weekend on their return to Superleague action following the Commonwealth Games break.

Third-placed Mavericks also suffered a 54-41 defeat to Loughborough Lightning and Anna Stembridge, Team Bath Netball Head Superleague Coach, says that both teams will be looking for a positive response in front of the Sky Sports Mix cameras.

“We have set the girls a challenge because we know Mavs are going to give us a tough contest,” she said. “There is a lot of history between the two franchises and there have been some great games over the years, so I would expect this to be no different.

“Both teams will be looking to bounce back quickly and the fact it is taking place at the Copper Box, on the London Olympic Park, gives it an extra dimension. This will be our first regular Superleague fixture there and it is always a wonderful venue to play at.

“It’s a good opportunity for our London-based fans who might not be able to get to the Team Bath Arena regularly to come and cheer us on, it would be great to see plenty of Blue and Gold in the crowd.”

Team Bath will be able to call on captain Eboni Beckford-Chambers for Sunday’s game after she sat out the Wasps defeat following her key role in England’s Commonwealth Games victory.

“It was important we respected the recommendations of the England coaching team and look after Eboni, her wellbeing and duty of care is paramount to us,” said Stembridge. “It’s not just about the now, it’s about making sure she is in peak condition for the rest of the season.

“It’s been so good to have the whole squad back together this week, the girls are buzzing.”

Fellow England gold-medallist Kadeen Corbin started the Wasps game, as did Commonwealth Games duo Zanele Vimbela and Chelsea Lewis, but it was a frustrating return for the Blue and Gold against the current league leaders.

Trailing by six at half-time, they briefly closed the gap on Wasps in the third quarter before allowing them to stretch their advantage to 47-34 and eventually go on to win 61-44.

“We were disappointed as we made errors at critical times which allowed the score to blow out and the final margin was not a true representation of the game but credit to Wasps for putting us under that pressure and forcing those mistakes,” said Stembridge.

“There was an opportunity to keep the gap to just a couple of goals at the end of the first quarter but we allowed them to get five clear, then they stretched it to eight or nine in the second quarter. We pulled it back to four in the third quarter and were getting back into the game but conceded possession and missed shots at key moments.”

A major positive to take from the match was an assured Superleague debut from Abi Robson, who came on at wing defence – the latest player to progress through the Team Bath youth ranks into the senior team.

“Abi has been performing brilliantly for the U21s and in training and she certainly deserved her opportunity,” Stembridge added. “The first thing she did was intercept a Wasps centre pass and it was great to see her take that step up in her stride.

“It was important that all the changes were made to have an impact, not just to give players court-time, and everyone who came off the bench took their opportunity.”

After the Mavericks match, Team Bath have two home games at either end of the May Day Bank Holiday Weekend. First they welcome Celtic Dragons to the Team Bath Arena on Friday, May 4 (7.30pm) before hosting West Country rivals Severn Stars on Monday, May 7 (5pm).

Tickets for those matches and the five other remaining home Superleague fixtures are on sale now at netball.teambath.com/fixtures.

Team Bath Netball are sponsored by Sitec and supported by partners Mogers Drewett, Investigo and Netball South West. Centurion Chartered Financial Planners are supporting the team’s performance analysis capabilities, Viper 10 are their Sportswear Supplier and Skins provide the team with compression wear.

Lead photo shows the Team Bath Netball Superleague squad welcoming team-mates Chelsea Lewis, Zanele Vimbela, Kadeen Corbin and Eboni Beckford-Chambers back from the Commonwealth Games.

Courtesy of the Team Bath Press Office at Matchtight