'Posties' miss the final delivery

NOTORIOUS NILES are this summer's winners of the First Division Mixed League after edging out Guernsey Post by one goal in a fast-paced final at Amherst School. With both teams fielding four men and three women and combining an assortment of experienced netballers and basketballers, it was always going to be a close game.

Notorious Niles took an early lead as GS Matt Sarre and GA Ged Isabelle combined well to encourage the ball into the shooting circle and subsequently the net, despite the best efforts of the Post Office's GD Andy Stevens and GK Gary de Carteret.

The play moved up and down the court so quickly that the slightest misjudgment by any player could result in a goal for the opposition.

In particular, Niles centre Cassie Le Page and WD Emma Niles, played outstanding games, making the odd valuable tip to change the direction of play.

The shooters were all on form and while she may have lacked the height of the men, Post Office shooter Julie Fallaize held her own in spite of some excellent defending by Mike Hordley and Matt Patch.

The Post Office were 2-5 down at half-time but the score did not really reflect a very tight period.

At half-time, with Daryl Butcher moving to centre and Anais de Carteret to WA, Post Office fought back with some excellent passing between Stevens, WD Andy Shaw and GA Jamie Roussel to increase their lead.

The last few minutes were particularly fraught, but Post Office's Roussel was outstanding as he tried to rescue the match.

Final positions in the league were: 1, Notorious Niles; 2, Post Office; 3, Deutsche Bank; 4, Bantering Meatballs; 5 equal, Credit Suisse and MeespiersonReads; 7 equal, Gobstoppers and Rothschilds.

In the Division Two final, 6ft 9in. pro basketball star Martin Yabsley was the main man for PWC against Misfits.

Yabsley made Misfits GD Jeremy Poole and GK Andy Collenette work tirelessly in defending the goal circle and his height was a definite advantage as half-time was reached with the sides locked at 4-4.

Misfits' Zola Bourgaize linked well with tireless GA Jamie Roussel and with Denise Bourgaize playing as a mobile GS, they edged one ahead.

But it was George Prow, playing at centre, who made the interception to turn the game in his team's favour and they ran out winners by 9-6.

n?Final positions: 1, Misfits; 2, PWC; 3 equal, NRG and AA; 5, Kristi's Lot; 6, Cable & Wireless; 7, Police; 8, Safferys.