Skinner the catalyst for revival

PILGRIMS 2 PICK UP FIRST KNOCK-OUT VICTORY AFTER GOAL SHOOTER SCORES 17 TIMES IN 15 MINUTES TO TURN CONTEST NETBALL

THE Canterbury & District Netball League’s annual knockout competition, the Ansted Cup and George Wilson Plate, resumed with the second of three round-robin games at St Edmund’s School on Sunday.

The top eight teams will reach the Ansted Cup with the next eight going through to the George Wilson Plate.

All players change position after every quarter while a handicap system is used to level the playing field.

Pilgrims 2 had a 12-goal deficit to make up against Crimefighter Alarms Purple as both teams sought their first win in the competition.

CFA led at half-time but it was all change in the third quarter as Shelley Skinner took over at GS for Pilgrims and managed 17 goals in 15 minutes as her side went on to win 71-55.

Premier Division leaders Crimefighter Alarms Diamonds faced Division 1 Bluebirds, who began with a 44-8 advantage.

Diamonds defenders Mary Nelder and Jayne Conroy kept a clean sheet in the first quarter and Diamonds made up the deficit by half-time and never looked back.Tara Percival and Kelly Harris worked hard in every position for Bluebirds but couldn’t prevent an 80-51 defeat.

Division 1 Crimefighter Alarms Black faced Premier Division Canterbury and started with a 64-4 advantage.

Canterbury brought the score to 68-68 by the end of the third quarter before running out 84-70 winners.

ANC Cougars had a bye in the first round and faced Canterbury Academy White in the second.

Academy started 60-28 ahead but failed to score in the first quarter against GD Hollie Johnson and GK Mollie Ryan.

Cougars had made up the deficit by half-time thanks to accurate shooting from Johnson, who had rotated to GS and Hannah Porter.

Olivia Acock shone for Academy but Cougars eased to a 94-67 victory to inflict a second defeat on Canterbury Academy.

Division 1 Canterbury Academy Red started 52-12 up on Premier Division Kingsman Thermal but the game finished in a 71-71 draw.

Accurate shooting from Laura Thomas and floater player Debbie Cook helped Kingsman bridge the gap though Annabel Mills and Robyn Andrews defended well for the Academy.

UKC began 56-32 ahead against J&L Allstars but slipped to an 89-69 defeat to make it two defeats from two.

UKC’s Maddy Webb and Sophie Estefan defended well but J&L took the second quarter 18-1 to blow the tie wide open.

Premier Division DFA and TFI put first-round losses behind them in a competitive second round clash.

TFI began 20-16 ahead but it was 27-27 at the end of the first quarter and DFA continued to pull away with good shooting from Lesley Williams and Jessica Brooks. Despite the hard work of TFI’s Chris Buchanan and Chris Wilson, DFA prevailed 54-43 by the close. Waterjet Signs conceded their second round game against Pilgrims 1. The third round will be played on March 3.