Slick play leads to A team victory but challengers prove too strong for others
HINCKLEY A took to the court for the first time in weeks on Saturday; all were raring to go and keen for another win under their belts.
They took the lead in the first quarter thanks to some calm, composed play and many defensive turnovers. Hinckley’s play was slick and efficient, working the ball down the court and around the shooting circle until the shooters were in the perfect position to shoot and score those important goals.
The opposition, Coventry and North Warwickshire, made multiple changes during the match to try to out-manoeuvre Hinckley’s strong defence, however Hinckley’s players stuck tight and kept overturning possession. They maintained their lead throughout the match and won 56-43, player of the match went to goal shooter Holly Hemsley for her sharp, accurate shooting.
Hinckley’s B team faced the strong Offchurch ladies this week. The first quarter was slow and steady for Hinckley with some weak passes which were capitalised by the strong Offchurch side. After a quick pep talk Hinckley settled into a nice set of play which challenged Offchurch for a while but unfortunately the strong attack of the opposition soon dictated the goal circle. Annis Pears and Bethany Willars worked tirelessly to break up the set plays but
Offchurch were strong. Strong defence against Carole Payne and Lucy Marsden proved to be effective and disrupted flow of play for the shooters. Undeterred, Hinckley battled hard with positive energy and relaxed into the game to open the court up and play the ball nicely down the court.
Beth Thurairajah worked consistently as centre with great interceptions and accurate feeds to the attackers. Hinckley lost 34-51 with POM going to Beth Thurairajah.
A player short in the first quarter, Hinckley D’s struggled to score any goals against the quick and agile Warwick Ladies. Seven players returned to play in the second quarter and thanks to the strong attack of Imogen Banton and Tracey Pallett, Hinckley were on the score board. Warwick Ladies were continuously strong throughout the 3rd and 4th quarter, leaving the defence Lucy Mortiboys and Jen
Paulley a lot of work to do, supported by player of the match Kelly Bennett. Subs Anita King, Jo Rawle and Imogen Banton kept the D team focused in their play and pushed Hinckley to stay positive in what was a tough game. Final score Hinckley D’s 16, Warwick Ladies 49.
Hinckley started the game positively against Ernesford, despite an early time call by Beth Dexter after being tackled to the ground by her own player. That didn’t stop her, and they managed to re-start with all seven players in full focus.
Play transitioned smoothly down court as the team were vocal in ensuring the ball remained safe in Hinckley possession. Some great triangle play in the attacking third allowed for both shooters to be set up nicely and maintain an accuracy that lasted for the duration of the game. Half time saw Hinckley trailing by 3 and knowing they needed some strong defensive pressure to ensure ball could be turned over.
Despite a few rushed passes and some frantic play in the third quarter, they managed to bring it back and end the game with a strong fight and desire to win ball and convert to goal.
The team remained positive throughout and utilised every player during every transition. The defence were rightly rewarded with a joint POM for Emma Brooks (WD) and Derry O’Neill (GD), who were excellent from both an attacking and defensive perspective. Final score Ernesford 34 - Hinckley 29.
Hinckley F played top of the league Stockton F on Saturday and after the previous tough game Hinckley knew it was going to be a battle.
However, during the first 2 quarters it was a very contested game; Hinckley played with great determination with goals being evenly matched. Some lovely flowing play from Hinckley through the court with beautifully converted shots meant Hinckley finished at half time leading 14-13.
Hinckley made some changes at half time and despite being defensively strong against Stockton’s experienced shooter, the scoreline then went four ahead in Stockton’s favour. A few mistakes proved costly in the final quarter, with Stockton creeping further ahead.
Hinckley’s fourth quarter changes did not bring the expected renewed energy they needed and a tough Stockton defence meant Hinckley were only able to score two goals in the last quarter.
Overall, some great interceptions throughout the game, with lovely positioning and movement to create chances, all positives Hinckley will take into their next game, but unfortunately they were unable to walk away victorious. Final score 20-33 with POM going to Becky Hamilton at GK/GD.