Oldham cruise to victory

OLDHAM netball’s Northern League side overcame Gateshead 53-27 at Hathershaw Sports Centre to stay top of the table.

The hosts were in command from the word go and, with shooters Sarah Brennan and Shannon Westwood in fine form, Oldham boasted a healthy 16-4 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter was one-way traffic, with Oldham’s Suzy Chapman and Leanne Murphy using their speed and skill to link defence to attack.

BUILT UP

The home side had built up a 20-goal lead by half-time, which allowed them to give a clutch of youngsters some valuable experience.

It was a different story after the restart as Gateshead drew the third quarter.

The defensive partnership of Gemma McDermott and Amber Hazelton worked well throughout the match.

This was particularly evident in the final quarter, and enabled Oldham to raise their game as they won the final quarter 12-6 for a comfortable triumph.

Starting line-up: S Westwood; S Brennan, S Chapman, L Murphy; B Smith, A Hazelton, G McDermott. Replacements: K Pemberton, B Gregory, K Bloomfield, H Gill.