Wasps return to winning ways against Pulse

Mel Mansfield’s side were on top throughout the match and pressed their advantage in the third-quarter to pull away from the visitors.

The win sees Wasps move back to the top of the Vitality Netball Superleague - with Manchester Thunder playing their game in hand against Strathclyde Sirens on Monday.

Mansfield said: “It was a good win for us, this game was all about getting some belief back in the team.

“I was delighted that they pushed on and won by a big margin. It wasn’t the finished article but we’ve got a lot of rounds to go yet to perfect our play.

“It was really important we didn’t have any lapses of concentration, we kept the foot on the pedal throughout and overall I’m really pleased with the performance.

“We know our players really well. It was a great opportunity to give Tamsin Moala some exposure today and she made a great impact.

“Next up for us is Team Bath which is a huge game and we’ll be working hard in training to make sure we are ready for the test.”

Wasps started the match in attacking free-flow, scoring with ease through Rachel Dunn on their first possession.

But Pulse impressed in the opening five minutes to keep pace with the home side, going goal-for-goal.

The London side forced the first turnover and stretched out to a two-goal lead, but Wasps came straight back with their own interception and were soon back level.

Wasps started to assert control, stretching their lead at the end of the quarter to six, with Fran Williams and Hannah Knights impressing at the defensive end to break up play.

Moala entered the action for the second-quarter and immediately found her shooting rhythm, scoring two back-to-back goals.

Dunn and Moala continued to impress as a shooting duo, with Bongi Msomi and Jade Clarke working tirelessly to create goalscoring opportunities.

Wasps stretched out to a double-figure lead but Pulse were able to slow down the hosts’ attack and limit the deficit to 11 at half-time.

The Black and Golds’ defence made an impact to start the second-half, with Amy Flanagan and Knights on hand to win possession back for their side.

Clarke exerted her influence throughout the third-quarter, providing successive long out-balls and proving a key link between defence and attack.

Wasps maintained their high intensity and led by 19 goals going into the final 15 minutes.

The home side remained composed during the fourth-quarter, consistently finding Dunn in space and stretching their advantage.

Loreen Ngwira was sent off with three minutes to go, reducing Pulse to six players, following persistent fouling on Dunn.

Bethany Dix entered the court for her Wasps Superleague debut as the clock ran down – and was met with a standing ovation from the Black and Gold supporters.

Wasps kept their foot on the pedal until the final whistle to secure a 32-goal margin victory to return to winning ways.

Wasps Netball’s next fixture will see them take on Team Bath at Ricoh Arena on Saturday 6 April (5pm centre-pass).

Tickets are now available for the Vitality Netball Superleague Grand Final!

Make sure you’re following the Vitality Netball Superleague on Twitter for the latest news and updates!

Photo credit: Clive Jones