Harcourts and Celtic playing for keeps

Harcourts No.1 and Celtic No.1 might both have already qualified for the top six playoffs but they are still intent on playing for keeps in their Netball Wairarapa premier one match at the Genesis Recreation Centre tonight.
With seven wins from their seven matches Harcourts No.1 have accumulated 28 preliminary round points to date while Celtic No.1 have had just the one defeat in their seven games and sit on 25 points.
Celtic coach Dayle Clarkson says her team are keen to be the first to beat Harcourts this season, and that will be the main motivation for a strong performance this evening.
"We won't be holding anything back, we want to make them work as hard as we possibly can," she said.
Clarkson respects Harcourts' depth of talent in all positions but believes their main asset in their good understanding of each other's play.
"They have been together a while and they know how to utilise their strengths," she said.
"They have developed a certain style of play and unless you can break that up you are in trouble."
Harcourts spokesperson Kelly Sargent says her team's efforts in the shooting circle could have a big say in the final result.
She said they had not been as consistent there as they would like and with Celtic being strong in defence some interesting exchanges could take place at that end of the court.
"If we have a good shooting percentage we should win but otherwise it will be close," Sargent said.
Any thought of Harcourts experimenting in this game because their top six playoff spot is guaranteed was dismissed by Sargent, who said the side would be determined to maintain their unbeaten run.
"Once you've got the winning habit you don't want to lose it," she said.
The other premier one game being played at the Genesis Recreation Centre tonight will feature Harcourts No.2 and Carterton Red and they will both be desperate for victory so as to avoid the wooden spoon at the end of the preliminary round.
The only one of the three premier one matches at the Colombo road courts tomorrow which could possibly affect the top six placings as they stand at present is that between Salute Greytown and St Matthews Collegiate.
The students are safely through to the main championship but to have any chance to joining them there and even then it would be remote Salute Greytown would need to win tomorrow and again next weekend.
The form book indicates getting over the first of those two hurdles will be beyond them.
Sports Arena Carterton and Kuranui College should have a close match with the Carterton side starting favourites and Gladstone All Blacks should score a comfortable win over Wairarapa College.