Saracens Mavericks edge narrow win over Celtic Dragons

From start to finish, the round 14 Pride match was full of momentum changes. With the exception of the first quarter, the game consisted of Saracens Mavericks gaining a slight lead followed by Celtic Dragons fighting back to level the game and repeated for sixty minutes.

Despite Dragons finding themselves three goals down half-way through the first quarter, intercepts by Ella Powell-Davies and rebounds snatched by Shaquanda Greene-Noel saw them take the lead going into the second quarter.

But from there, the visitors took control of the match.

The defensive pairing of Razia Quashie and Jodie Gibson for Mavericks worked well early in quarter two and and won crucial balls for their side, giving Mavericks a five-goal lead with five minutes remaining in the quarter.

The momentum changed as Hannah Leighton and Annabel Roddy won the ball for the home side, reducing the deficit to just three goals heading into the second half.

Mavericks shifted the momentum and gained a five-goal advantage once again.

Todays' Player of the Match is Gabby Sinclair!🐉

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— Celtic Dragons (@celticdragons_) April 28, 2023

Dragons shifted quickly once more and clawed back within one goal but Mavericks didn’t let them dream and roared back to a three-goal lead at the end of the third quarter.

The final quarter saw the momentum continue to shift from Mavericks to Dragons and back to Mavericks again in what was an exciting end to the first of two Pride Rounds. Dragons repeatedly levelled the score but couldn’t get the lead they needed for a win.

In the final minutes of the match, Mavericks extended their lead to win by five goals.

Report supplied by Celtic Dragons

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