WEST Leagues Balance No.1 overcame a slow start to stay unbeaten leaders on Saturday as the club’s second team showed encouraging signs in their first Newcastle open netball championship season.
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Wests’ top team, the defending premiers, were down by seven goals at quarter time against Forsythes in round five at National Park but fought back to win 49-37.
“We went out there really wanting to play well from the start but it didn’t happen,” Wests coach Tracey Baggs said. “We had to change our attitude a little bit. We were probably a bit complacent, thinking we were going to probably win easier because Forsythes only had seven players there.
“But we turned that around by half-time to just be in front, and we used everyone. All three on the bench made an appearance.”
Baggs said defenders Kimberly Goodearl and Mikenzie McManus and centre Sophie Buckley were standouts in the revival.
“Defensively we were quite strong from the second quarter on and that swung the game around for us.”
Baggs was impressed with Wests No.2’s effort in pushing Nova Thunder all the way in a 40-37 loss. Nova moved to fourth with the win.
“The No.2 side only just went down to Nova, and Nova have been strong the last few weeks,” Baggs said. “There’s some good signs there for when we get everyone back, because we are still carrying some injuries from the grading day.”
Elsewhere, BNC Whanau moved into third place with a 44-33 win over Souths Pride. Second-placed Souths Lions beat Maryville Tavern 54-41.
TABLE: Wests 1 (19), Souths Lions (17), BNC Whanau (15), Nova Thunder (15), Maryville (13), Forsythes (13), Wests 2 (11), Souths Pride (9).
