Sunshine Girls one down headed to Kingston

ENGLAND’S VITALITY Roses claimed a one-match advantage in the Horizon Netball Series after a clinical second-half performance yielded an eight-point victory over a hard-working, but too often errant, Sunshine Girls.

In contrast to the opening test when Jamaica fell behind and pulled back the deficit in a sterling second-half display, it was England who came strong towards the finish at the same AO Arena in Manchester less than 24 hours later.

All square at halftime, the home side pulled in front in the third quarter and stretched their lead as the game drew to a conclusion to the delight of most of another sizeable crowd.

“I must commend my girls despite the final eight-goal deficit,” commented a far from downbeat head coach Sasher-Gaye Henry, now in her second spell at the helm.

“They (her girls) came and showed in each game how they can compete against the number-two (ranked) team in the World.

“We have a lot to learn in terms of the errors that we made and must look at those, determined to fix them before out next encounter back in Jamaica.

“The England girls have come straight off of a three-game series in both Australia and New Zealand, and we have players, some of whom have not played with each other for a couple of years.

“So we have to grow and grow quickly before game three!”

England coach Jess Thirlby acknowledged that the series was far from won yet and pointed out:

“There were a few frustrations after yesterday (a 49-49 draw with Jamaica coming from behind late in the game).

“So the group are leaving the court more buoyant this time and looking forward to the challenges in Jamaica, and it will be very different over there!

“We win one more game, and we win the series, but it’s going to be very tough.

“We have travelled a lot recently, so we’ve had to learn how to win away from home but in Jamaica, and few of these girls have been before.

“It (the atmosphere) will be unbelievable. It’s been brilliant for us here, but over there, it’s like a carnival. It will be loud, and they will get right behind their team, and I’ve no doubt the Jamaicans will elevate their performance just in response to that.”

England started with an identical line-up to that which contested the previous day’s thrilling tie while the Sunshine Girls made one change.

British-based Rhea Dixon, who made an impressive international debut as a substitute in the opening encounter, was promoted to the starting seven at wing attack, with Khadijah Williams dropping to the bench.

England again made a potent start, leading by three points before Jamaica responded to go 7-6 ahead in a topsy-turvy opening quarter that finished 12-8 to the hosts.

The Roses pushed on early in the second quarter, but the towering presence and glue-like hands of Romelda Aiken-George in the England circle helped the score back to 16-16.

It remained all square for several minutes before the Sunshine Girls gained the ascendancy with Roses’ Helen Housby levelling once more at 24-24 as halftime was reached.

Both England shooters were scoring at well over 90 per cent while the Sunshine Girls proved less precise, and Dixon was switched to goal attack midway through the quarter.

It stayed close, with the Roses edging ahead once more through the accuracy of Housby and Liv Tchine, then substitute Lois Pearson crafted a seven-goal advantage.

A late rally meant that the final stanza commenced with captain Shamera Sterling-Humphrey’s side trailing 39-35.

Three straight Aiken-George goals hauled the gap back to just a single point, but unforced errors allowed England to restore their four-goal advantage, eventually extending it to 55-47 by the final hooter whistle.

With temperatures forecast to fall below zero in Britain during the oncoming week, the Jamaican team will be glad to be flying back to the Kingston sunshine today (MONDAY) and greatly warmed by their performances over the weekend, which sees them arrive home one game adrift but with the two matches remaining in front of their passionate fans at the National Indoor Sports Centre.

Jamaica Squad

Shamera Sterling-Humphrey (GK), Jodi-Ann Ward (GD), Latanya Wilson (WD), Crystal Plummer (C), Rhea Dixon (WA), Shanice Beckford (GA), Romelda Aiken-George (GS); Substitutes: Khadijah Williams, Theresa Beckford, Mischa Creary, Kadie-Ann Dehaney, Abigale Sutherland.

England Squad

Fran Williams (GK, C), Funmi Fadoju (GD), Beth Cobden (WD), Imogen Allison (C), Lois Pearson (WA), Helen Housby (GA), Liv Tchine (GS): Substitutes: Amy Carter, Alice Harvey, Berri Neil, Razia Quashie, Jess Shaw.

Statistics

Score at the end of each quarter: 12-8, 24-24, 39-35, 55-47

Goal Scorers

Sunshine Girls: Aiken-George 36/41 (88%), 10/12 (83%), Dixon 1/1 (100%)

Vitality Roses: Tchine 13/14 (93%), Housby 27/30 (90%), 15/17 (88%)