North West Wales Netball League: Rhyl off the mark, big wins for Menai, students and thunderkittens draw in thriller

Rhyl made a flying start to the new year with a first win of the season in North West Wales Netball League Division One at the expense of mighty Llandudno Jets.

With an 11-4 lead at the end of the first quarter, their confidence only grew and flourished throughout.

Player of the match for Rhyl, Ruth Bateman, was on fire with her shots on target and circle defence Lauren Beadle and Sophie Edwards proved a force to be reckoned with taking lots of rebounds.

Jets came back fighting in the second and third quarters but it just was not enough to turn the tide, Rhyl winning overall 35-26.

In Division Two, Menai Thunder continued the successful underdogs theme of the evening, just pipping Llandudno Knicks to the post 33-30.

After the first quarter all was not lost for Knicks with a fairly close deficit of 10-6. Thunder extended their advantage a bit in the second and then channelled Storm Brendan by hammering out the third 10-9.

Knicks pulled back everything they could, winning the last quarter 10-4, but Menai had too big a lead to turn around.

Thunderkittens v Bangor University in Division Three, ended up a real topsy-turvy thriller, the match finishing 29-29.

Bangor soon asserted their authority on court by opening up a brilliant lead of 7-1.

Confidence in the young Kittens team seemed to grow and they soon got to grips with the tall and quick defenders of the Bangor side, drawing the second quarter 8-8.

By the third quarter Kittens had a new lease for life and their defence came back hard, shutting Bangor’s attack right down and winning the session 11-3 for a 20-18 lead entering the last.

Bangor were not taking any prisoners though and really wanted this win. They came back in a very exciting last quarter to edge it 11-9, ensuring it ended level pegging. You just couldn’t call it!

Shooters for both teams were hailed as the players of the match.

North West Wales Netball League results – January 13, 2020

Division One

Menai Bridge 48 Abergele Aces 13
(10-2; 23-7; 34-10; 48-13)
Menai: Laura Webber. Kathryn Hughes, Collette Charker, Stevie Roberts, Lisa Campbell, Emily Viggers, Kelly Roose. Sub: Katie Skeoch.
Aces: Hollie Collins, Ceri Jones, Jade Wilcockson, Ellen Deir, Sarah Beesley, Kris Henry, Hayley Edwards. Sub: Amie Hibbert.
Players of the Match
Menai: Emily Viggers; Aces: Hayley Edwards.

Jets 26 Rhyl 35
(4-11; 10-22; 17-30; 26-35)
Jets: Elaine Williams, Geraldine Vaughan-Jones, Roisin Rooney-Hamer, Lucy Moran, Bethan Coleman, Sioned Coleman, Jess Marshall-Atkins. Sub: Alex Jones, Jo Leon.
Rhyl: Anneka O’Connor, Ruth Bateman, Ellie Jones, Lucy Edwards, Emma Owens, Sophie Edwards, Lauren Beadle.
PoM
Jets: Lucy Moran; Rhyl: Ruth Bateman.

Comets 26 Friendship 37
(7-9; 14-17; 22-25; 26-37)
Comets: Beth Mather, Lauren Bradley, Ann Burt-Williams, Migsy Hollings, Sophie Mahoney, Kara Mahoney, Gwenan Sullivan. Sub: Cleo Milburn.
Friendship: Taz Williams, Caitlin Evans, Lucy McEwen, Nicky Evans, Sophie Leach, Mel Hedger, Jess Hughes.
PoM
Comets: Migsy Hollings; Friendship: Taz Williams.

Division Two

CGG 29 Llandudno Storm 23
(6-4; 15-10; 22-14; 29-23)
CGG: Mandy Jones, Nat Caughtry, Celia Gray-Thomas, Peri Murphy, Mollie Routledge, Ruth Jarvis, Mel Barnes, Leah Owen.
Storm: Mia Rawling, Hannah Partington, Mia Lane, Elin Watson, Callie James, Ellie Jones, Rebecca Freestone. Sub: Jeannie Duncan.
Players of the Match
CGG: Mollie Routledge; Storm: Rebecca Freestone.

Llandudno Knicks 30 Menai Thunder 33
(6-10; 11-19; 20-29; 30-33)
Knicks: Joely Bellew-Hughes, Llinos Hill, Ellen Vick, Mollie Ellis, Sioned Hughes, Claire Mander, Alice Owen, Kate Birch.
Menai: Ffion Jones, Jessie Jones, Jo Harris, Freya Evans, Abi Evans, Chantelle Parker, Steph Yau-Jones. Subs: Sioned Davies, Vicky Wells.
PoM
Knicks: Joely Bellew-Hughes; Menai: Sioned Davies.

Thundercats 46 Colwyn Swifts 20
(9-3; 22-7; 34-17; 46-20)
Thundercats: Gwenno Pritchard, Ally Williams, Emma Parry-Jones, Flick Smith, Hope Brett, Anna Selick, Hannah Lock. Subs: Siwan R Jones, Deanna Craven.
Swifts: Cerrie Smith, Amy Roberts, Catrin Bohanna, Rachael Bowers, Seraphina Jones, Vickie Ashe, Kara O’Neil.
PoM
Thundercats: Hope Brett; Swifts: Rachael Bowers.

Division Three

Abergele Diamonds 22 Llandudno Tornados 38
(1-8; 8-16; 14-30; 22-38)
Diamonds: Abi Cocking, Laura Holland, Lily Rose Leong, Sam Muller, Lowri Roberts, Charlotte Hughes, Vicky Roberts. Subs: Irene Mabri, Olivia Mortimer.
Tornados: Ffion Anthony, Olivia Jones, Ceri Watson, Loren Bloxham, Nicol Siecinska, Ema Jones, Alys Lees. Sub: Paige Kemp, Sophie Jones.
PoM
Diamonds: Sam Muller; Tornados: Alys Lees.

Thunderkittens 29 Bangor University 29
(1-7; 9-15; 20-18; 29-29)

Thunderkittens: Awel Jones, Louise Pleasant, Ella Lois, Reaghan Smith, Cerys Davies, Lottie Pleasant, Elain Rhun. Sub: Efa Williams.
Bangor Uni: Grace Anderson, Millie Pringle, Olivia Chambers, Josie Yelland, Sophie Roots, Emma Stone, Natalia Ehenulo. Sub: Eva Payton-White.

PoM
Thunderkittens: Awel Jones, Uni: Grace Anderson.