Oldham overpower rivals

Rachel Henry: commanding game

NETBALL: 

LEADERS Oldham came through their toughest National Premier League test so far as they beat Essex side New Cambell 68-52.

It was first versus second in the table and while Oldham fielded a depleted side, the eight players contributed to one of the best performances of the season.

Oldham started strongly, with shooters Kathryn Turner and Alice Travis converting easily from turnovers.

Hosts Cambell fed their shooter with accuracy, which made life difficult for the Oldham defence, but Kerry Almond and Georgie Webster forced errors by pressuring the Cambell attack.

The quarter ended 20-12 to Oldham, and they had stretched the lead to 37-27 by half time.

Gabby Marshall had dropped to the bench after feeling unwell in the second quarter, and with Abby Tyrrell introduced at goal defence and Webster moving to wing defence, those changes stemmed the influence of Cambell’s wing attack.

Rachel Henry and Maria McAndrew ran the centre court and picked out the Oldham shooters all too easily. Marshall returned to the court for the third quarter, with Henry making way after starring for Loughborough the day before.

Tyrrell and Almond forced the Cambell attack to take long shots, while Travis and Turner profited from space under the post. The final quarter went much the same way as the previous three. Cambell struggled to keep pace with Oldham.