Nerine grab first national win

NERINE TRUST registered their first win in four National Club League starts this season when they shocked Notts City in Nottingham yesterday. Gill Queripel's young side had lost narrowly, 36-40 to Falcons Yellow on Saturday after a hectic and tiring day's travelling, but against a side that were relegated from Division Six last season they pulled off a fine 42-36 win.

'Today, we strung it together a lot better and our shooting stats were a lot better,' said the Nerine coach, who reckoned Notts City were surprised to lose. 'We've now played probably played the four strongest teams in the league and we could be third in the division,' she added.

The Guernsey champions fielded a young team, with Zola Bourgaize joining fellow 15-year-old Kerri Brown in the line-up for the second game in 24 hours.

'Zola played wing defence for the whole game and Kerri came of age at goal attack,' said a delighted coach who had been disappointed to lose to Falcons Yellow in Loughborough.

'We should have won it but we just didn't gel,' Queripel said, pointing to the 5am wake-up call, early flight to the UK and two-and-a-half-hour drive to the midlands as a likely reason.

No sooner had the game finished Naomi Taylor, arguably the island's brightest prospect, was asked to join in the full England squad's training session on an adjacent court.

'She went to train with them for 90min. and she got some good feedback from the national coach,' said the Nerine coach.

The Guernsey side have three more matches remaining in the league, two at home and one in Gateshead.