ORA Winter League Week 5

The ORA Winter League continued in its fifth week, with 24 teams across the 4 divisions keen to cement positions on the table in before the close of the first half of the season.

Division 1 kicked off with a topflight, closely contested matchbetween St Lawrence A and Accies A. Saints took the early advantage which enabled them to settle into their game plan. Solid defence work from St Lawrence GD Sam Salzone repeatedly denied her opposition the easy pathway into her attacking D, with valuable timely interceptions allowing the ball to be transported up to the opposite end of the court.Player of the Match for St Lawrence, GA Nicole Goddard,converted the vital goals, despite the continuous challenge from Accies’ Player of the Match, Summer Watkins, who was instrumental for her side. St Lawrence kept control for the duration of the game, claiming both the win, at 46-29, and points needed to place them in poll position.

Meanwhile, it was a very competitive match between Convent B and St Clement A, with both teams fully committed to deliver a good performance. Convent started the stronger and went out to an early lead of 13 -7 at the end of the first quarter, as GA Alex Perry and GS Yara Rodrigues confidently converted their shots. An unfortunate injury to the Convent GK gave an opportunity to the young and upcoming Bethannie Wood to grow into the game with confidence and formed a strong link with Millie Pratt, who was in the thick of the action, turning over the ball. The Convent shooters were closely defended by the St Clement ladies and the ball was end to end giving a low scoring quarter 5 – 4. Convent led at half-time 18 – 11. The third quarter saw the teams evenly matched. The centre court players, Florence Kelly and Scarlett Le Fustec, enjoyed the encounter and kept strong with their movement and accurate passes. Olivia Kerley earned Player of the Match for Convent, with some brilliant feeds to her shooters and a constant link between attack and defence. After a tight final quarter, Convent took a marginal win at 36-30.

Also in Division 1, Monday’s clash between Accies B and St Saviour A was an excitingly contested match with both teams striving to grab points in the league table. Accies, who weremissing regular shooters and defenders, made hard work of the win as players bonded together and the parish side took full advantage of this with the half time whistle giving them a lead of 2 goals – 22-20. Accies regrouped and started the third quarter with a flourish of goals by Mimi Carney and Emily Dove seeming to give them a comfortable Lead going into the final quarter. This was not the case as St Saviour put their foot down with some excellent attacking netball leaving the young Accies side in disarray but hanging in to take the game by one goal 44-43. Player of the Match for Accies was Molly McKeon and for St Saviour, Trinity Smith.

Division 2 saw St Lawrence B hit the court running at the first whistle against St Saviour B. They were in superb form, their court play was flowing and the turnarounds were netted with ease, with a 21-4 lead going into first break. Second quarter was a very quiet 15 minutes, St Lawrence changed their team positions to try out different rotations, but both teams were scrappy and erratic. The third phase proved to be St Saviour’s strongest, managing to net one more goal than their opponents, but the damage had been done, St Lawrence reverted to their starting lineup and forged ahead to take the game 46-22. Superb shooting by Player of the Match for St Lawrence, Tara Parker.

Topping the Division 2 table, it was another strong, well-balanced performance from St Brelade A against Accies D, despite a few absences and positional changes. The defence worked superbly together, staying composed and turning over key ball throughout. In attack, the team moved smoothly, feeding the circle with confidence. Rosie McManus (GA/GS) was outstanding, showing great movement and deadly accuracy to earn Player of the Match. A solid all-round team effort, with the final score being 63-30 to St Brelade A.

In Division 3, St Ouen B were up against a young and talented Accies E this week, having had two weeks away from the court. Accies E settled quickly, with quick passing moving the ball swiftly into the shooters. Zoe Morales, Player of the Match for Accies, was excellent in the circle, adapting to the height of her opponent to maintain a high shooting accuracy. St Ouen continued to push forward, although struggled to find their usual flow against the consistent pressure from Accies youthful defensive tactics. Lucy Fox (Centre) earned her Player of the Match accolade, working tirelessly with Sarah Attwood and Lianne Laignel in the midcourt to continue moving the ball into the shooters. Jasmine Le Lievre (GA) and Zoë Barrett-Banks (GS) were a successful pairing, keeping the scoreline within half to ensure the point was kept on the table. Accies did not falter and capitalised on any errors from St Ouen, allowing them to find a steady path to a 48-28 victory.

Elsewhere in Division 3, St Ouen C played well against a young and energetic St Lawrence D side, earning a well-deserved point from a 37–20 scoreline. Defenders Demelza Noblet, Katie Le Herissier, Sally Parker and Lisette Grenyerworked tirelessly to keep the opposition shooters out of the D. Strong attacking play from Katherine Wilson, Kerrie Rocheand Amelie Firmino moved the ball swiftly down the court, while co-captains Natasha Gaudin and Lyn Parris delivered accurate feeds into the attacking circle. Shooters Emily Hopkins, Harriet St Pier and Mel Noon converted confidently, with Player of the Match for St Ouen awarded to Mel Noon on her return from injury.

Ending the week, St Brelade B put in a fantastic performance last night in what proved to be a thrilling and evenly matched contest against St Clement B. From the first whistle, both sides demonstrated skill, determination and teamwork, with St Clement just managing to edge ahead early on and maintain a narrow lead throughout. Despite the scoreline, St Brelade were a force to be reckoned with. Their attacking duo, Brody Morris (GA) and Skye Clifford (GS), impressed with accurate shooting and composure under pressure, testing a strong St Clement defensive line time and again. The midcourt worked tirelessly to maintain possession and momentum, linking play beautifully between defence and attack to keep the game flowing. In defence, Talia Morris (GD) and Player of the Match, Ashleigh Taylor (GK) were standouts, challenging every pass and keeping the St Clement shooters on their toes. Their intercepts and defensive pressure ensured that the game remained tight right until the final whistle. Although St Brelade B ultimately fell short with a 48–42 loss, it was an excellent all-round display and a testament to the team’s resilience and cohesion.