Matches going down to the wire

A DOUBLE-HEADER of matches that went right to the wire last week was another great advert for the Condor Ferries Super League. Sharks, who are the youngest outfit of all the teams and will perhaps shine more brightly in the second round when they have had time to gel as a unit, took on Zebras in the first match on court at Beau Sejour.

Zebras took an early lead with a demonstration of court dominance by GA Anna Trump.

Her experience is key to this team's success and whereas she was always there at centre passes, the Sharks team in comparison, with their very young and inexperienced front line, were finding it difficult to string passes together.

The Sharks defence of Roxanne Wylie and Gemma Loveridge did their best to stem the flow of balls to the Zebras shooters.

At quarter-time Sharks were trailing 10-3, but some tactical changes - putting Donna Brehaut back at GA, bringing in Lucy Cochrane to WA and putting Leah Green to centre - soon started to pay dividends.

Brehaut's speed and court awareness gave Ali Guillou in the Sharks attack more confidence to go to goal and they soon started to pull the score back, so much so that the score at half time was 15-14 to Zebras.

With all to play for in the second half, another change for Sharks was to bring on Lyndsey Bougourd at centre.

That saw the game going goal for goal and it brought out the best in both teams.

Any loose ball was punished, and up until the last three minutes Sharks looked as if they could pull off a shock win, but Zebras dug deep and with Cath Coutanche now in at GS, she and Trump were in no mood to relinquish the lead.

A fine interception by Claire Green in the Sharks circle saw the ball go down to Zebras shooters who duly put it away and with their centre pass and the clock ticking down, the Zebras ran out 32-29 winners.

With hardy band of spectators up on the balcony having been given a great game to watch, the second match between Thundercats and Experience was to be just as thrilling.

It saw the mother-daughter combination of Denise and Nena Bourgaize on opposing sides with Zola watching, not knowing whether to cheer for her mum or her sister.

The start of this game saw the Experience side using their guile and keeping the pace slow, with good feeds to the shooters, who promptly dispatched the ball through the net.

Young Elka De Carteret was having a hard workout against Jane Fear: both are gutsy players and neither was giving an inch, the only difference being Fear has a few more years under her belt and is a little more court-aware, something De Carteret is picking up quickly.

Thundercats were guilty of playing a little too quickly for their own good and the final pass to the shooters was going astray.

Hannah Dunnell did not start well and the usual slick passing between her and Tessa Hinshaw was not present.

Denise Bourgaize at GK for Experience was giving them both something to work for and her never-say-die attitude saw her pick up many loose balls.

The game was the same till half-time, when Thundercats moved Nena Bourgaize to GD and Tiffany Gervaise-Brazier to centre.

The youngster was having a fine game and with the advice given to her by Nena, she was soon making good drives and pin-point passes to the shooters, who now had their rhythm going, and Hinshaw was making some fine moves and converting at will.

The last quarter saw all to play for with the score at 32-31 to Experience: all slips and bad passes were going to be punished.

Experience did not take on board that a high ball in to their shooters was going to be swept up by Nena Bourgaize in the circle.

The game was all square with four minutes on the clock, Thundercats had the speed and Experience decided to play them at their own game.

That was to be their downfall, with Hayley Potts and Nena Bourgaize controlling the centre backed up by Gervaise-Brazier and the ball went crisply to the shooters and Thundercats scored four goals on the bounce to run out 45-41 winners.

This week sees a break from Super League as island training continues.

The next session is in eight days' time.