Experience tells as vets top the table at halfway

EXPERIENCE extended their lead at the top of a tight Super League with a 39-27 victory over Zebras. The veterans' side are now ahead by four points, with Panthers, Crazy Roos and Thundercats all on 17 points as the league now has a Christmas break.

With five points on offer for a win, Guernsey netball development officer Gill Queripel feels there is everything to play for.

The league was introduced this year to give the island's top players more competitive matches.

'We have had many draws in this league and all the players seem to enjoy the closeness of the games,' she said.

'The players coming in from the lower divisions still feel a little nervous, but they must take positives from the games they are playing and they have all grown in stature.

'It has also shown in their league games how they are all upping their game. The more experienced players within the Super League teams have been doing well in helping bring the players on and we will watch with interest how they and the juniors improve.'

With Zebras missing both Cath Coutanche and Anna Trump, this was always going to be an uphill battle for the black-and-whites.

Another problem for them was that Experience's Jan Fazakerly was in devastating form.

She scored at 95% throughout the game and no matter what the Zebras defence of Anais De Carteret and Claire Green tried, the shooter was not to be put off keeping her team ahead.

Centre Nikki Pettitt ably assisted her by consistently feeding her good passes.

The younger team gave their all to try and pull the game back, none more so than Kate Cochrane who ran her socks off.

But Zebras were too often guilty of trying to force the long ball into the circle and this was easily picked off by Denise Bourgaize in the Experience defence.

'This was a game where Zebras needed to dig deep and play to their strengths, but they were not allowed to do this by Experience who used, as their name says, the experience that they have,' said Queripel.

'Zebras now need to put this game behind them and learn from this.'

The league also saw Panthers take on Roos and both outfits were missing influential players.

Panthers were without Kristina Le Page and Emma Wyatt-Nicole, while Bridget Tait was absent for Roos.

Panthers shuffled the line-up from the start, with Claire Queripel once again playing goal attack to team up with GS Laura Callaway in the circle.

Roos' dilemma was at which end to play Zola Bourgaize.

The versatile Bourgaize plays goal shooter for her club and goalkeeper for Team South in the National Talent League.

In the end Roos played her up front where she combined well with Kiara De Carteret.

Panthers came out hard and fast and they were in no mood to let this game slip as they were still kicking themselves for allowing Sharks to pull back a draw in their previous run-out.

The first five minutes were a torrid affair while both sides settled down.

The speed through the centre court of Queripel caused problems for Roos as her dynamic style of play in the circle was complemented by the positional play of Callaway.

That left their opponents' defence often wrong-footed, but to their credit they never gave up.

Also the yellows were guilty of some loose passing and Elaine Donaldson, who was having her best game of the season, and Carrie Dodd punished that.

The ball was then fed to the shooters who duly dispatched the goal.

At the end of the first quarter the game was 15-9 to Panthers.

The second saw Roos shuffle the team and they drew this quarter 11-all.

They had seemed to eradicate some of the loose passing and the shooters were settling to get the better of the Panters' defence for a short while.

But the third quarter saw Panthers ring the changes, bringing on Clara de Jersey at wing attack and returning Emma Brookes to wing defence.

That proved to be crucial as Panthers pushed ahead to lead at the end of the third quarter

37 -23.

In the last quarter Roos brought on Sally Hunt - making her debut in the competition - and she played extremely well as she picked up some good interceptions from wayward Panthers passes.

Also making her debut for Panthers was Abbey Bisson who started in the defence and as the game went on, she grew in stature.

She helped her team take the match 46-29.

'When we see youngsters like Clara, Sally and Abbey stepping up to the plate, there is talent in the Guernsey Netball Association emerging,' said Queripel.