Team Bath Netball clinical in win over local rivals Severn Stars

Team Bath went into the game at the Copper Box Arena, with the confidence of knowing they have already qualified for the Vitality Netball Super League (VNSL) semi-finals. Bath took the chance to change up their wing attack and goal defence positions to give their squad members Kirsty Harris and Tash Pavelin, a chance to start the game. Severn Stars changed up their attacking line up, bringing University of Gloucestershire student Jane Taylor to GA for the start.

19 goal win earlier in the season when the two teams met. Rowe has an uncharacteristic miss at the start of the game but her team were able to apply pressure to the Bath attackers, forcing a held ball. A messy start saw several turnovers and balls going back off the line. A strong cut and drive from Borger (GS) calmed the bath attack down and an early two-goal lead developed.

Guthrie at centre for Bath was somehow able to keep a loose ball from going out the side line and offload it to Borger, and the gap opened up to 4 goals. The quarter finished with more dominant defence from Bath GK Eboni Beckford-Chambers putting pressure on the Stars shot, and the quarter finished 12-7 to Team Bath.

Changes a plenty by Severn Stars Head Coach Melissa Bessell for the second quarter, bringing Kyra Jones to centre, Paige Reed to GA and Dee Bolakoro to GK. Team Bath stuck with their Starting VII. Miscommunication on the Stars centre pass between Jones and Leota, allowed Bath the opportunity to bring the score out to 19-12.

Severn Stars seemed to sense they were still in the contest and a long feed in from Jones at WD to Rowe at GS lifted the Stars team’s confidence. Team Bath lost some of their clinical approach and responded by bringing Jess Shaw on to WA. Confusion between the umpire and players from both sides brought the second quarter to a slow end, finishing 22-16 to Team Bath.

Quarter three and Lucy Harris and Jane Taylor return to the court for Severn Stars. University of Worcester student Lucy Herdman returned to GK, with Dee Bolakoro moving to GD. Team Bath also made changes bringing Abi Robson to WD and Layla Guscoth to GD. Both teams very aware of the physical demands of the double header weekend and rotating players. A footwork call on Stars centre was punished by Team Bath who seemed more settled with the changes and were able to bring out an eight-goal lead.

Another error on Stars centre saw the ball fly off the back line and again Team Bath creeped out a further lead scoring off the turnover and their own centre, which seemed to immediately spark the Stars change Reed back to GA. Guscoth was so effective in confusing the attacking space and put the Severn Stars shooting circle under great pressure with their ball placement.

Jones returned to C bib for Stars to try and steady the ship. Bolakoro at GD was able to deflect a Bath shot and although stars were able to score off the turnover, their own centre pass let them down once again with a pass going astray. The error rate for both sides seemed to spike as the third quarter finished 23-34 to Team Bath.

Bessell made further changes into the fourth quarter with Immy Thomas returning to GD, and Bolakoro moving back to GK. Better patience on the Stars centre pass allows Reed the space to play herself into the shooting circle. She then backed this up with a fantastic, faked pass, where she was able to find Rowe under the post. Stars were on a role and a feed from Leota saw the lead cut to 10 goals once again.

Great hustle in the circle by Thomas and Bolakoro for Stars won a back line ball but Rowe was unable to convert. Team Bath brought on Betsy Creak on a GA with five minutes left. Guscoth was able to pick up a low ball and as Bath were once again able to stretch out the lead, Bath took the chance to change further players and rest key players ready for their second fixture.

With seconds left, more bench rotations from Stars and with half a minute remaining Severn Stars showed what they are capable of with triangle set up and fast hands from Leota resulting in a goal. The score finished 45-32 in the second showing of the South West derby this VNSL season.

Head Coach for Severn Stars Melissa Bessell commented: "We did not want them to score over 15 in a quarter which we held them to, so really pleased with that one. We said we wanted to give them a good battle, and that is what we did.

"Yes, we know there are things that we need to clean up, for us its about taking this forward with Thunder, our ultimate aim now is to finish 8th, and we want to use this double header weekend to look at things within ourselves as a team, to learn in preparation for those games. We may be down the bottom, but we are not giving up anything, we are going to fight all the way."

IPRO Hydrate Player of the Match: Kim Borger (Team Bath Netball).

Match report provided by Severn Stars.