With Loughborough Lightning and Saracens Mavericks having already won their matches, defeat in the last fixture of the day would have seen the Sitec-sponsored Blue & Gold drop out of the top four with just one round to go.

However, they responded to the pressure superbly by producing one of their most complete team performances of the season when they needed it most to take three vital points and maintain their grip on third place in the table.

Team Bath now know that victory in their final game of the regular league season – at home to newcomers London Pulse on Saturday, May 4 (6pm) – will guarantee them a place in the semi-finals.

Tickets have almost sold out for the big game and Team Bath Netball Head Coach Jess Thirlby says the support of the home fans will be crucial when they take on a Pulse outfit whose performances have improved significantly in recent weeks.

“Saturday’s result at Thunder was obviously incredibly pleasing and has kept our destiny in our own hands but we are all aware that it will mean nothing if we don’t back it up against Pulse,” she said.

“There is still a lot of work to do and, despite their league position, Pulse will be a dangerous team. They beat Mavericks a couple of weeks ago and only lost by five in a high-scoring match against Lightning on Saturday. The return of former Team Bath player and England captain Ama Agbeze from injury has given them a massive lift and they will want to sign off their debut season with a statement of intent.

“That’s why the fans have such an important role to play again this weekend. The home support has been outstanding this season, both in terms of the numbers turning out and the atmosphere they have created, and there is no doubt they have helped us over the line in a lot of close matches.

“It would be great to have another sell-out crowd behind us on Saturday and hopefully we can put on a really good show for them.”

Following defeat to fifth-placed Mavericks on Easter Sunday, the pressure was on the Blue & Gold when they travelled north for their showdown with a Thunder side who had also lost their previous match against Lightning.

The hosts settled quickest, racing into an early 7-2 lead and holding a 16-12 advantage at the end of the first quarter, but Team Bath responded superbly and turned the game on its head in the second quarter.

They showed great composure and resilience right across the court to take a 27-24 lead into half-time, then held off a Thunder fightback in the third quarter to maintain their three-goal advantage before seeing out an excellent victory – their second over Thunder this season.

“We were obviously aware of the ramifications going into the match but we had prepared well and had a good training week, so we just remained focused on ourselves and the task at hand,” said Thirlby.

“The start was not ideal and maybe reflected the nervous energy surrounding the match but there was a determination about the team and once we had settled we were able to really build momentum and belief.

“We were clinical in attack and in possession, which you have to be against a team like Thunder who don’t give up many turnovers, and we made very few errors. They came back at us in the third quarter but you have to expect that against top teams and we didn’t let it affect us – it was perhaps the most composed and calm I have seen this group.

“It was the kind of performance we expect of ourselves and know we are capable of, and it came in a must-win game against top-four opposition which was incredibly pleasing.”

The result means that Thunder, Team Bath and Lightning are all level on 36 points, three clear of Mavericks who have a strong goal difference.

Team Bath, Lightning and Mavericks are all at home in their last game – to Pulse, Celtic Dragons and Strathclyde Sirens respectively – while Thunder are away to Surrey Storm. All matches start at 6pm on Saturday.

Remaining tickets for the Pulse match can be purchased at netball.teambath.com/fixtures or by calling 0844 888 4412.

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.

The Sitec-sponsored Blue & Gold produced an eye-catching display to convincingly win the reverse fixture back in February. Since then both Team Bath and Lightning have enjoyed excellent winning runs – of six and seven games respectively – to put themselves firmly in contention for a coveted semi-final spot as they sit third and fourth respectively, level on 27 points.

Those runs come to an end this week, with Team Bath going down 61-46 at reigning champions Wasps on Saturday and Lightning losing 63-59 at home to Surrey Storm on Monday, but Blue & Gold Head Superleague Coach Anna Stembridge is expecting a cracking contest on Friday as both teams seek an instant response.

“It obviously wasn’t the result we were looking for at Wasps but I am confident the team will bounce back accordingly and apply themselves in training this week to put things right,” she said.

“Historically it has always been a great game against Lightning. We had a really good performance against them in the reverse fixture, one of our best this season, but we are very aware of the form and results they have achieved recently so we are expecting a great display of netball between us.

“We have a really exciting final month of the Superleague season coming up with five massive matches. I say all the time that any result is possible in this league and we saw it again at the weekend as London Pulse beat Saracens Mavericks so it doesn’t matter who you face, you really can’t take anything for granted.

“No team has an easy run-in and I wouldn’t want one either, you want to earn your place in the top four.”

Team Bath remain three points clear of fifth-placed Mavericks despite their setback against second-placed Wasps, who opened up a 16-10 lead at the end of Saturday’s first quarter and were able to build on that throughout despite a tireless effort from the visitors.

“For me, the game was won and lost in the first quarter when Wasps had quite a long run of uninterrupted scoring,” said Stembridge. “They were able to establish a six-goal lead and it set the tone for the game overall.

“We tried various combinations to see if we could disrupt their flow but Wasps were more clinical than in recent weeks and we were unable to force the defensive turnovers that have been a key part of our game this season.

“There were many positives to take, though. Imogen Allison and Serena Guthrie have really established themselves as a great mid-court unit and they stuck to their task well, while Sophie Drakeford-Lewis worked tremendously hard once again in both attack and defence.”

Team Bath will be cheered on by another four-figure crowd against Lightning but more tickets have been made available for Friday’s big game – visit netball.teambath.com/fixtures to purchase for both that match and the finale of the regular season against London Pulse on Saturday, May 4 (6pm centre-pass).

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