Advantage Nerine but champs struggle

With the wet making it difficult for the players, it was never going to be a classic, but when Jenny Jordan sank a superb long-range shot within the opening minute things seemed promising.

It proved to be a false dawn, though.

Nerine enjoyed the best of the opening exchanges and although their shooters had difficulties with their radar on several occasions, a 6-1 lead was established before Sarnians really got going. They pulled it back to 7-4 at one stage with Bridget Yabsley looking in good form, but the quarter ended at 10-4.

In the second period, with the centre court players industrious and the shooters finding more consistency, Nerine pulled away and by half-time were 26-9 ahead.

It was probably a good job for them that they had established such a margin because after a minor reshuffle, Sarnians gave them a good run in the second half.

Tracie Hards had joined Yabsley in attack with Bonnie Evans switching to GK. Suddenly, with island players Sarah Hoskins and Andi Pettitt seeing more of the ball, the teams began trading goals.

It was only thanks to a couple of late Jordan efforts that Nerine edged the third quarter to lead 39-19 and the green-and-yellows certainly deserved their share of the fourth, 8-8, if not more.

'We were not firing as we should have been but we can learn from it,' said Nerine coach Gill Queripel.

'Give Sarnians their due, they took it to us. They were more determined and we were a little complacent at times. It is good, though, not to have it all our own way with two hard games coming up [in the National Clubs League] and we have to win those two.'