Netball: Ferns rue missed chances in greatest game

MANCHESTER - Being involved in one of netball's greatest matches meant little to the Silver Ferns, vanquished at the death once more by old foes Australia 55-57 in the Commonwealth Games final today.

After 75-1/2 exhilarating minutes, the two teams were finally split when Australia moved two goals ahead, breaking a double extra-time deadlock to defend their Games crown and demote New Zealand to their second silver.

Tied at 45-45 after extra time and 54-54 after two seven-minute halves of extra time. The game was decided by which team could move two goals clear.

The winning goal was shot by goal attack Sharelle McMahon, igniting memories of her world championship matchwinner in 1999 in Christchurch and her influential role in the 1998 Games final.

Victory was in New Zealand's grasp on several occasions but, as has been the case in their previous heartbreaking losses, crucial errors crept in as the clock ticked down.

Coach Ruth Aitken, in charge for her first test against Australia, remained composed and positive afterwards.

"I believed we could do it and I still believe we had enough opportunities to do it," Aitken said.

"We were in charge of our own destiny but we just let it slip.

"I thought at the end of ordinary time we had the taking of it and that possibly didn't help us going back out on court.

"I thought there was a feeling of 'damn, we should have nailed it the first time' and it took us a couple of minutes to get into that next phase."

Aitken denied the New Zealanders had a mental block against Australia and was confident her team were more than capable of reversing the result. Their next significant chance will be next year's world championships in Jamaica.

Although every player had moments to forget when the heat went on today, two moments stood out.

With less than a minute left in ordinary time, New Zealand were a goal up and in possession before wing attack Anna Rowberry threw a lobbed pass over the head of shooter Donna Loffhagen. Australia swept downcourt and New Zealand-born shooter Catherine Cox drilled a long-range shot to level.

And over the closing stages of the match, normally reliable goal shoot Irene Van Dyk missed a succession of close shots. After halftime she sunk just 22 from 34 attempts under intense pressure from veteran Australian circle defenders Liz Ellis and Kathryn Harby-Williams.

"It's always easy to say you should be sinking those ones but there's a lot going on," Aitken said.

"Certainly she'll be kicking herself but there were little things that happened all through the court at different times."

Van Dyk was distraught after the match, not wanting to discuss her shooting problems.

"Who wouldn't be?" she said, when asked if she was disappointed.

She was stunned by the deafening roar of 8000 people throughout the game at the giant MEN Arena and said netball was as much the winner as Australia.

"It was amazing, did you hear the crowd? It was something to live for.

"But you have to credit Australia, they were exceptional."

New Zealand's attacking end has been their strength at these Games and goal attack Donna Loffhagen completed a fine tournament with 20 from 21, suffering her share of bumps and bruises along the way.

But Aitken saved most plaudits for her defence, led by two debutants against Australia, goal defence Sheryl Clarke and goal keep Vilimaina Davu.

The match swung dramatically throughout normal time. Both teams had a turn leading by a maximum of seven goals -- New Zealand midway through the first quarter and Australia midway through the third.

New Zealand captain Julie Seymour said it was physically and mentally draining playing Australia and was sure her team couldn't have given any more.

"It felt like the hardest game I've ever played in, in all my netball," she said.

"Physically they're so tight at marking that to get free you have to work and work and work.

"The last of those normal 60 minutes are just so exhausting. You're just pulling yourself along. So to suddenly face another 14 minutes is quite a daunting prospect I guess."

Australian opposite Kathryn Harby-Williams described the winning feeling as "like being in fantasy land".

"I can't believe we've had so many ups and downs in one game in such an important event.

"We are the happiest girls in the world right now. It's just fantastic."

McMahon was asked if she felt any sympathy for New Zealand's continuous run of narrow defeats.

"No, not at this stage," she said.

"We might look back and think that they were unlucky because they played really great netball. They really had us in a lot of trouble at quite a few stages throughout that match, even in the first quarter.

"The Aussie spirit came through. The girls never said die."

- NZPA

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