Last-quarter blitz sets up Rezzers for title showdown

The Premier Division leaders netted 18 goals for six in a brilliant last 12 minutes of their Tuesday night clash against T&T Purple, sending the third-placed side to a clear 56-37 defeat.

They also gave themselves great momentum for their looming title decider against Blaze A on 10 May.

But as T&T closed the curtains on their own season with this Grammar School duel, they did not leave without a creditable team performance.

The Purples ultimately paid for several less-prosperous passages of play, firstly their unsettled start where Rezzers blasted to a seven-goal lead.

GA Verona Tomlin played a starring role there, working her way to eventual player-of-the-match honours by shooting sharply and dominating the circle alongside GS Clare Henry.

While GK Abby McCracken and GD Gemma Batiste excelled at the back, the reigning champions certainly had no weak link in their established seven.

T&T nevertheless rallied slightly to end the quarter 12-6.

Picking up where they left off, the Purples then edged quarter two.

Turnovers and impressive work rates from GD and eventual ‘POM’ Nat Cavanagh, GK Mhairi McGill and U18 WD Amy Le Tocq helped their cause.

Their attacking acumen, spearheaded by GS Donna Brehaut and GA Steph Batiste, ensured they capitalised to hit half-time just four down – 24-20.

Shortly after the interval came an unplanned pause as confusion over centre passes stalled the game for several minutes, but the well-contested netball soon returned.

T&T lost momentum late into the quarter as a nauseous Le Tocq stepped off, ending her great game prematurely, with Carrie Dodd replacing her.

Leading 38-31 set Rezzers up for a barnstorming finale.

The trinity of numerous rebounds and intercepts, smooth and rangy ball movement through court, and sharp shooting catalysed several unanswered scoring runs.

And so captain Tiff Gervaise-Brazier is in high spirits for that exciting Blaze finale.

‘What made it for us was the last quarter,’ the hard-working Rezzers centre said.

‘We struggled a bit in the second quarter to get the ball out the back zone, but we just needed to let the ball go and look for that long ball, basically.

‘We switched that on much better in the third quarter and then, in the last quarter, just stepped it up.

‘We set targets for that last quarter and I think that spurred us on, really, to 18 goals. We were really pleased, but we shouldn’t leave it to the last quarter to really pull away.’

Rezzers’ B team, Black, earned five easier points in their bottom-four Plate quest because Liberte NGT A could not field a side.

Those same Blacks are partly to credit for the Greens’ outstanding results post-lockdown, Gervaise-Brazier hinted.

‘I think we all kept fairly fit this lockdown. We have, obviously, trained, but because of other commitments, it makes it difficult to train as a squad.

‘With the introduction of Whites and Blacks, we’ve actually got enough to train week in, week out, and I think that’s made a huge difference to us this season.’

Meanwhile, T&T gave McGill and Le Tocq a decent send-off ahead of their likely unavailability next campaign.

It was only the start and ending that captain Brehaut rued.

‘Attack has been our strength this season, so it’s a little bit disappointing, our start,’ she said.

‘Second quarter we came out the blocks... third quarter much of a likeness again.

‘I think we upped the intensity and had some really good patches when we were meeting the ball, when we were playing with speed, but all credit to Rezzers, that fourth quarter really showed their strengths.

‘Not a bad performance overall – and we’re pleased with what we’ve done season-wise.’

The previous night, T&T Blue took charge of the Plate competition by beating Blaze B 51-33 at Grammar.

The young Blaze girls entered off a surprise upset of Rezzers Black, but they were unable to repeat that against the Blues, who already led 26-16 at half-time.

GK Lily Simmons earned ‘POM’ for the winners, who restricted the opposition’s scoring heavily in quarters two and four, while centre Emily Mourant took Blaze’s honours.

Blues conclude their three-match Plate series next Tuesday against the Blacks, who can still theoretically win on goal difference.