With a postponed game due to a wash out earlier in the month the years 7-8 girls of The Roses were on course to go 4 for 4 and remain unbeaten in their mini league to date. Up against a BCNC team which on paper and based on other results were beatable for our Tigers but it was not to be!

Sunday 19th October saw the final games being played of this Beds & District mini league and with no fixture for their sisters the Saffrons, all eyes were on the Roses. Following a test in training up against some of their older Tigers girl, it should have set them well to take on BCNC Emeralds. Apart from E GEE the Roses were at full strength but on the court sadly full strength is not what we were!

It was simply just one of those days, we have all had them, nothing goes right, nothing came off and it is fair to say we just weren’t on our game. This allowed a composed BCNC side gradually capitalise from simple defending and confident finishing under the net.
Frustrations were evident on and off the court from players from the very first quarter and despite having opportunities in the opposing circle, we just could not find the net this game. This is a rarity from our Roses girls who have shooters all across the team.

Going into the final quarter it was clearly destined to not go Tigers way, so taking the opportunity allowed some small shoots of positivity, with a strong quarter by L HABERSHON guesting in defence and dominating her much taller, opposite number. S PUNNETT showed some real netball intellect, learning from the earlier minutes and adapting her defence to get the better of the GS of BCNC in the latter half of the game.
In fact…. There wasn’t a goal scored for either side in the last two quarters but it wasn’t enough, the damage had been done, which meant it was Roses first defeat in the league and their first loss on 4 games. Unable to play Westoning Aquarius due to that earlier postponement, it would of been surely their mos difficult fixture but today all the girls were dissapointed, they felt they should of had the beating of this team and another day I have no doubt they would. Today the better team won!

Final Score - Bedford Tigers Roses 1 BCNC Emeralds 5
Oppositions Player : L HABERSHON
Coaches Player : S PUNNETT

It was a disappointing conclusion and not the ideal way to top off what was a really enjoyable and encouraging few games so far but the girls have certainly bonded and all enjoyed their netball. There is still so much more time for this group of girls to gel and grow together and their bond is clearly already strong. A coming together at the end of the game and some words from the coach of how we win together and we lose together put a very quick and positive vibe in the air before they departed the courts with no other competitive games scheduled until March.

Look out Emeralds, we have a score to settle next season ;-)