Hards foils Jersey's cunning 'spy' mission

A CUNNING attempt by Jersey netballers to spy on Guernsey has been foiled. The Sarnians have had to change the venue of their penultimate English Counties League fixture today to ensure their Caesarean counterparts do not gain an advantage before next weekend's inter-insular.

Guernsey had been due to play West Dorset at a neutral venue in Hampshire, but coach Tracie Hards was informed that Jersey would be playing at the same venue beforehand and were planning to stay on to see her side in action.

Hards did not want that to happen just a week before meeting the old enemy.

'I want to try out a few things in the game and I do not want them being able to plan any tactical moves to counteract that. So I called West Dorset and they have kindly agreed to play on their home soil - the last thing I want is Jersey watching us.'

The coach is also sending her team out with the message to concentrate on the job in hand and not let their minds drift to the inter-insular. She said from about 4pm tomorrow was the time to focus on Jersey and not before.

The West Dorset match should be a fairly comfortable one for Guernsey and will provide a good warm-up for the following day's clash with unbeaten Avon, the biggest test of the ECL season for Guernsey.

'West Dorset have not done too well this season so I do not foresee it as being too hard a game although, in saying that, we do not want to go in too complacent,' Hards said.

'It will lift the girls if we can come away with a really convincing win before we play Avon.

'I know we are quite capable of beating Avon. From a coach's point-of-view, I have got a group of great netballers, they just have to believe it themselves.'

Twins Jenny Jordan and Lorna Brown return to the Guernsey ranks after missing the comprehensive home win against the Royal Navy and once again Hards is boosted by the news that Claire Queripel and Nena Bourgaize will join up with the squad in England.

However, captain Andi Pettitt will only be available for the Avon match because she is involved in the volleyball inter-insulars in Jersey tomorrow.