Adelaide Thunderbirds beat Queensland Firebirds for second Super Netball win of season
IT was not the most attractive performance, but Adelaide Thunderbirds have beaten Queensland Firebirds to claim a second win for the season.
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ADELAIDE Thunderbirds survived a massive scare to claim their second victory of the season with a 54-51 victory over Queensland Firebirds in a scrappy, physical Mile End encounter on Sunday.
The Thunderbirds were in total control with a seven-goal three-quarter lead before being forced into a desperate fight for the premiership points after the Firebirds nailed the opening eight goals of the final period.
It was not an attractive performance, but the win snapped a three-game losing streak and the
home team secured a vital three bonus points for winning the first three quarters against the bottom-placed Firebirds.
And it will provide plenty of satisfaction for the Thunderbirds given they had just one win in 2017 and lost every game last season.
“We were in control for the majority of the game, but that is what Super Netball is about, if you are on your game or slip, teams come back and hurt you,” Thunderbirds coach Tania Obst said.
“I was pleased we were able to regroup, stand up and score. I thought there was some good play, some of our through court attack was better and we are still playing around with some strategies we want to work on.
“We are still learning as a team and group and I thought what we put out there was not too bad. I’m pleased for the girls, we have been so close in so many games.
“This was validation what we are working on at training does work.”
Firebirds shooter Gretel Tippett bagged her 100th goal without a miss with her side’s opening score and was always a danger for the Thunderbirds’ defence.
The injury-hit visitors, already missing superstar Romelda Aiken and defender Kim Jenner, were dealt a blow in the early minutes when centre Mahalia Cassidy left the game with a suspected ruptured ACL. She missed the 2017 season with a similar injury.
The Thunderbirds, who kept training partner Maisie Nankivell at wing defence for all four quarters, kept the Firebirds at arm’s length with their ability to create turnover ball and use it effectively to punish their opponents on the scoreboard.
There were plenty of mistakes from both sides, although the Firebirds coughed up some awful errors as they struggled building connections among teammates.
The movement from the Thunderbirds had more authority than recent weeks and shooter Sasha Glasgow, fed well by Maria Folau and Chelsea Pitman, again stood up under the post, while her rebounding was a feature of her game.
Then came the Firebirds’ fightback when they threatened to steal the points.
Obst blamed mistakes, connections and the occasion for allowing the Firebirds to rush back into the contest.
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