A step up for Wairarapa

The onus will be on their defence when Wairarapa meets Norths in a regional superleague netball match at the Genesis Recreation Centre in Masterton tonight.
Norths, from Kapi Mana, kicked of their campaign with a 70-31 walloping of Maidstone United last weekend and, from all accounts, nothing impressed more than the accuracy of their shooters.
Hardly surprising then that Wairarapa coach Marion Tulloch agrees that for Wairarapa to keep Norths in check they will need to place their shooting circle under sustained pressure.
"We have to minimise their space and time," she said. "We have to be in their faces all the way through."
With Sarah Brooking still sidelined by injury Wairarapa will again be without their most experienced defender but Tulloch was delighted with the work done in that area by Celia Donaldson, Ella Biggs and Lisa Manihera's in her team's 52-39 win over a Kapiti selection a week ago and is confident they will again make their presence felt.
"Obviously they will face a sterner test this time but I am sure they can cope," she said."They might have to be a little more physical in their approach but I don't think that will be a worry."
Tulloch was also "happy enough" with Wairarapa's attacking play against Kapiti but here too she feels they will need to lift their performance tonight
"We'll have to be snappier in our passing and work harder to create space," she said. "We are going to have to make things happen??.communication will crucial too."
Tulloch was thrilled with the public support given her team last Friday and is hopeful that their winning effort will attract even more spectators to tonight's game, which gets under way at 7.30pm.