This was a hard-fought game against a strong, physical and well-drilled Eastbourne side in a top-of-the-table clash. Jags got off to a flying start, taking a five-goal lead at the end of the first quarter. However, the game took a turn in the second quarter when an injury to Niamh ruled her out for the remainder of the match. Having travelled to Eastbourne with a small squad due to half-term commitments, losing Niamh meant our planned rotations to keep our players fresh were no longer possible, leaving us with just one impact player available. Eastbourne fought back in the second quarter, taking a two-goal lead into half-time. The girls responded brilliantly in the third quarter, narrowly winning the quarter and heading into the final 15 minutes just one goal behind, with the score at 32–31 to Eastbourne. The final quarter was a real battle, with the girls continuing to give everything. The score got to 39-38 but sadly, we began to run out of steam in the closing stages and Eastbourne finished strongly with a six-goal run to secure a 45–39 victory.
Congratulations to our Players of the Match!
OPOM: Evie and Izzy
Both played the majority of the match, switching between C and WA. They worked tirelessly in both attack and defence, producing some fantastic tips and helping to close the gap when we needed it most. A great effort girls.
CPOM: Eva-Bella and Millie
Both achieved shooting percentages of over 85% and adapted brilliantly to the physicality of Eastbourne’s defence and the decisions made by the umpires. They kept their composure under pressure.
Finally a huge well done to every single player. Although the result wasn't quite what we wanted, I could not be prouder of the girls, they gave 110%, and kept fighting for the win. It was a frustrating game, especially after such a strong start and coming so close in the final quarter. We take plenty of positives from this performance and look forward to welcoming Eastbourne for the home fixture. We’ll be ready for the rematch!