Thunder forced to dig deep

NETBALL:

MANCHESTER Thunder were forced to call on every reserve of energy to see off Hertfordshire Mavericks 53-46 in the ZEO Superleague.

In doing so they maintained pressure on front-runners Surrey Storm, with whom Thunder had earlier drawn in a thrilling game.

Thunder started tentatively and Mavericks took advantage, winning the opening quarter 16-12.

Mistakes continued from both sides in the second period, when captain Sara Bayman and Rachel Henry eventually provided the ammunition to send Thunder in front at 29-25.

Both sides looked tired at the start of the third and by the end of it Thunder had a slender 40-39 lead.

Laura Malcolm’s introduction sparked the team and after the lead was opened up but then cut back to three, Kerry Almond and Emma Dovey worked hard defensively to earn their team a gritty victory.



IN what was probably the game of the season to date, second-placed Thunder came back from their trip to leaders Surrey Storm with a 46-46 draw.

Storm took the opening quarter 12-8 and unforced errors in the next period saw the Surrey outfit push to 23-17.

Changes at half time handed Thunder the lead at 36-34 entering the final quarter. The last stages were tense, with Storm a goal up with 20 seconds left. But Thunder’s centre Housby coolly levelled with two seconds remaining to leave a one-point gap at the top between the respective sides.



THUNDER’S next match sees them host team Bath at the Manchester Thunderdome in front of the Sky Sports cameras on Monday.