Bath edge past local rivals Stars

Victory for the Haines Watts backed Team Bath side came courtesy of a strong second half and some “smarter play” according to coach Anna Stembridge.

“Credit to Stars, they made us work hard in that first half. They were very clinical but in terms of the switches in defence that we were doing, it was coming. We reaped the benefit later on in the match.”

Team Bath were determined to bounce back after a lacklustre defeat to Leeds Rhinos in the league’s Spring Showdown over Easter.  Earlier in the season they were narrow away victors over today’s opposition by just four goals.

Stembridge said; “I was really proud of our girls today. We came off a tough loss last week and we had to right those wrongs.  We knew it was going to be a tough game, a derby game, there was a lot of passion and pride at stake”.

Player of the Match Layla Guscoth knows that today’s win will stand the Blue and Gold in good stead against Saracens Mavericks on Friday. “It was a tough game today. We knew we had to step up from the last time we played them and keep our hopes for top four alive.

“Mavericks beat us twice last season and so we needed a win today to give us confidence for Friday”.

Team Bath today frequently flirted with dominating the first half but time and again were clawed back by tenacious and feisty opponents whose overseas stars – Liana Leota and Cat Tuivaiti – were breath-taking at times in their creativity just “throwing the ball anywhere and everywhere’ according to Guscoth who also paid tribute to former Team Bath player Paige Reed, goal-attack for Stars.  “They were really difficult to contain” she said.

FIZZING FIRST QUARTER

It was a fizzing opening quarter, packed with acrobatics, thrills and spills in equal measure, which saw Stars take an early 4-6 lead before one of three Phumza Maweni defensive intercepts set the home side up to claw back and then lead 8-6 with six minutes to go.

Imogen Allison, played a captain’s quarter at centre, twice diving full length to challenge for the ball.

Nothing much separated the two teams in a pacey period until the home side developed an edge in the dying minutes to reach the break 13-11 ahead, helped by some dynamic exchanges between Kim Borger and Sophie Drakeford-Lewis in the Bath shooting circle.

Quarter two started with neither side making any changes.  Borger took an early tumble and Team Bath were turned over to bring the score level at 13-13 after four minutes. Team Bath often enjoyed the upper hand in this quarter but a missed opportunity to go 23-17 followed by a couple of rim skimmers and other turn-overs meant that Stars came back to within a goal at half-time (22-21).

TEAM BATH EDGE AHEAD

In quarter three, Stars made some defensive changes and subbed Reid off. It was only in the final five minutes of this quarter that the home crowd sensed a shift in momentum in Bath’s favour.  This was when the Blue and Gold surged from a 32-29 lead to finish the half 36-30 and then 36-31 at three-quarter time.

In defence, Guscoth and Phumza Maweni worked tirelessly for tips and intercepts whilst the mid-court of Kirsty Harris, Tash Pavelin, Imogen Allison grew in confidence and speed of feed.

Jess Shaw carried on in the same mode when she replaced Harris at wing-attack in the final quarter and Borger and Drakeford-Lewis seemed to find more space, more often in the circle.  Establishing a decent buffer with seven minutes to go, the home side went on to lockdown the final score at 50-40.

Today, the Arena rose to its feet post-match  in a standing ovation to pay tribute to Team Bath and England legend Serena Guthrie who recently retired from the sport.

On-court tributes came from current Blue and Gold captain Imogen Allison, England team-mate Layla Guscoth and Team Bath Head Coach Anna Stembridge.

Match report provided by Team Bath.

You can also watch the highlights from all the games in the VNSL 2022 season HERE. Buy tickets to support Team Bath at their home games here and support Severn Stars at their home ground by buying tickets here.

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