Fifth in the league set to play sixth in the league this Sunday in what was surely set up to be another close fought match with plenty of back and forth.
Following training on Friday night where the focus was on ‘finding that space’ and being dynamic, driving into space and using a change of direction, the girls were set for a afternoon of Netball. The return of the ever popular DEBNAM, S would be a boost for the team and on injury news GRANT-JONES, S had fully recovered from a minor wrist injury.
The surprise news being the unexpected arrival of new Tiger, DEVONSHIRE, R who impressed coach Yessi enough to give her the armband for her debut outing for the Jades.

MCGRATH, B unavailable today and will be missed by the girls.

BEDFORD TIGERS JADES VS MAULDEN KITTENS[/size]
Sunday 4th May 2025, just after 11am the Tigers descend on Bedford Academy. A nice chance for both Jades and Sapphires to spend sometime chasing each other about and warming up to the sounds of Ariana Grande.
11.45 Jades take to the court against a Maulden Kittens side who have played one more match then our girls and have one more games but still sit just one space below them in the league, whoever won this match-up would at minimum retain 5th spot with the risk of the Kittens leap-frogging the Tigers without the right result. It was only March they last play the Kittens, losing 2-0 and not being able to get on the scoreboard.

A brand new pairing of GRANT-JONES, S and DEVONSHIRE, R started in the shooting positions as the whistle blew to get the game underway. An early interception gave Tigers early possession, with a string of passes into the D and a shot just off of target, it was a promising start by our Tigers with hands on the ball early across the team.
Maulden settle into the game well and start to pass the ball around with ease at times, a interception late in the quarter by a dogged RUSSELL, G found a route through the centre pairing of DEBNAM, S and TOMKINSON, P who had made themselves busy. Another opportunity under the net goes up by GRANT-JONES, S and gathered on the rebound by DEVONSHIRE, R who lands her debut goal for the club of her own rebound and ‘third time was a charm’ as Tigers take the lead on the whistle.

Bedford Tigers Jades 1 Maulden Kittens 0

Already bettering their last performance out against the Kittens, Tigers were on the scoreboard and full of confidence. At minute 6 TOMKINSON, P started a move through the Maulden defence, with the ball being moved at pace, landing with the newly rotated attacker and top goal scorers RUSSELL, G who with ease found number 2.

Bedford Tigers Jades 2 Maulden Kittens 0

A minute later with an identical move through the centre, this time taken a little longer to find the net with a back and forth from RUSSELL, G and DEVONSHIRE, R but DEVONSHIRE eventually securing that 3 goal lead.

Bedford Tigers Jades 3 Maulden Kittens 0

Coming out after the half found DE LUCA rotated into the centre to pull the strings and not without success, finding attackers but only to have the ball snatched away by a decisive Maulden defence. It didn’t last long as the wide spread arms of PARKINSON, G prevents Maulden making any ground and gobbling up possession enabling SAMPLA, A to fire off two near efforts eventually landed in the hand RUSSELL, G who efficiently made it number 4 at 12 minutes in.

Bedford Tigers Jades 4 Maulden Kittens 0

Tigers were now piling on the pressure with much of the action occurring in Maulden’s D and minute 15 found SAMPLA, A on the scoresheet after gathering a rebounded shot and using all of those 3 seconds to compose herself and finish gracefully.

Bedford Tigers Jades 5 Maulden Kittens 0

Going into the final quarter very little was said about the score, attempting to keep the girls focused. A rare win was so close.
Despite being down by 5, Maulden remain indignant and were going to fight until the final whistle. They were not going to make it easy.
But… just a minute into the quarter SAMPLA, S again found herself in the D, with an unexpected ‘supershot’ style effort from distance which landed with precision, welcomed by an elated coaching staff ‘yipping’ on the sidelines.

Bedford Tigers Jades 6 Maulden Kittens 0

Tigers see out the game needing to defend as well as they attacked today to ensure a ‘clean sheet’ and with that saw their second win of the season and a seasons stand-out performance.

Final Score - Bedford Tigers Jades 6 Maulden Kittens 0

GALAXY NEBULAS VS BEDFORD TIGERS JADES
…. Enter the Tiger army… Sapphires without a game descend on Court 1 to watch Jades take on top of Division 3 of the Bedford & District League for juniors, years 4-6. And not to dissimilar to wild animals the girls peered through the cage grating of the court with eagerness whilst tucking into their prey… (M&S flapjack and chocolate mostly!)

Nebulas, played 9 won 9, conceding only 5 all season. We knew this was going to be a different ‘animal’ that’s for sure.
A 5-0 defeat last time out, again not getting onto the scoreboard but with the confidence brimming, surely they can change that?!?

Stepping out onto court there was a very different tone and tempo to the game, sharp, fast paced Nebulas moving the ball around the court and making the tiger girls work for each and every play. A much more confident performance generally which showed on court but that still couldn’t stop the might of the Nebulas and they piled in 3 in a row in quick succession all in the first quarter, reminding us why they are top of the league.

Galaxy Nebulas 3 Bedford Tigers Jades 0

Nebulas orchestrating play through the leggy centre made it hard work with PARKINSON, G and TOMKINSON, P having to really think about passes and using all of the court.
A minute before the break, a break away counter attack following a well defended attack by KELLY, E sent GRANT-JONES, S into the D who shot quickly to prove there is way through this Nebulas defence.

Galaxy Nebulas 3 Bedford Tigers Jades 1

…. Don’t blink, Nebulas returned the gift with a present of their own. Instantly scoring and keeping a 3 goal lead.

Galaxy Nebulas 4 Bedford Tigers Jades 1

It was only the first quarter, 5 goals been and gone and finishing with Tigers under the net. Tigers were making a fight of this!

Rotations often change games at this age group and it felt like it had spun around in our favour with a more even quarter and much of the play was contested in the centre third. Plenty of back and forth with the only goal of the quarter coming in black and orange in minute 8 where a pass from KELLY, E found GATWARD, I who lofted the ball perfectly into the net to the roaring support of the Tigers faithful.

Galaxy Nebulas 4 Bedford Tigers Jades 2

Going in at half time there was all to play for and in all honesty very few of us were expecting our girls to make it as competitive as they have, a half to be proud of but there were some tired faces in orange after a challenging 10 minute of netball.

Quarter three found Tigers often defending are heavily pressured Tiger net, with peppered shots and bodies been thrown at it to deny a Nebula goal. An achievement itself keeping this quarter to 0-0.

5 minutes of Netball to go and clearly each and every Jade had left it all on the court with tired faces everywhere including the supporters … it’s exhausting from the sideline! Early in the quarter Jades found some success through a string of passes with KELLY, E in the centre of it. Shots just would not fall! …and that was ‘all she wrote’ as Nebulas experience and strength start to show with goals in minute 17, 18 and 19 just making the score line more flattering to Nebulas then the actual game would suggest.

A hard fought battle where Jades did not let Nebulas have it all their own way and a great game for learning and growing together as a team. As player of the match is awarded to TOMKINSON, P by the Nebulas players the screech of support from their Tigers sisters was hard to ignore… and TOMKINSON, P couldn’t ignore it either as she embarrassingly accepted the adulation.

Final Score - Galaxy Nebulas 7 Bedford Tigers Jades 2
Star Player - TOMKINSON, P
for her unrivalled movement around the pitch and her unwavering support of her team mates.

Some of the best Netball seen by these young ladies this weekend and some very happy coaches. Who’s excited for next weekend?!

**Thanks given to Jen Tomkinson who provided notes for the article