Lights out but bright enough

THE Sunshine Coast fumbled a lot – but rumbled enough – to claim a bonus-point packed 60-51 win over Adelaide at USC Stadium yesterday.

The Lightning grabbed a maximum eight competition points from the victory to bolt up the Suncorp Super Netball ladder with their second win from five outings in 2018 to get their title defence further back on track.

The Sunshine Coast won all four quarters but were not overly convincing in doing so as the gritty Thunderbirds and a host of Lightning mistakes combined to keep the scrappy contest close.

Caitlin Bassett (43/47) and Steph Wood (17/20) were reliable in the shooting circle for the Lightning when the ball made it that far while Jamaican goalshooter Shimona Nelson was a focal point for the Thunderbirds and finished with 30 goals.

In captain Geva Mentor’s 150th national league game, the Lightning had to battle hard to put away the plucky Thunderbirds, who had not won a quarter in their four losses to start the season to be last on the ladder on zero points.

Sports bookmaker Ladbrokes were not taking bets on the head-to-head result believing the Sunshine Coast were

unbackable favourites to salute against the worst attacking team – and worst defensive side – in the competition.

Maybe the Lightning subconsciously thought it was a foregone conclusion too given the sloppy start to the contest when they created a host of opportunities but lacked the intensity and clinical execution to make Adelaide pay.

The Thunderbirds raced to an early 9-5 lead when the Lightning called a time-out. Whatever acting Coast coach Kylee Byrne said worked.