Netball: Loss could cost the Diamonds semis slot

A fourth-quarter blowout cost the Diamonds not only a win against the Sting but possibly a semifinal spot in the National Bank Cup.

The young Diamonds side managed to foot it with the Sting for three-quarters of the match in Invercargill but struggled on attack in the final 15 minutes, allowing the Sting to run away with it.

Failure to secure a bonus point - for finishing within five of their opponents - could prove costly for the Diamonds.

With two rounds remaining the Magic and Sting are virtually assured of semifinal spots, leaving the Diamonds, the Force and the Flames to fight for the other two places.

The Force jumped to third following their win over the Flyers in New Plymouth, while the Flames' hard-fought 46-44 win over the Shakers in Christchurch sees them fourth equal with the Diamonds.

For the Diamonds to secure a semifinal spot ahead of the Flames:

* They need to either beat or finish within five of the Magic this weekend.

* Beat the Flyers the following weekend.

* Hope the Flames either slip up against Flyers this weekend or lose to the Sting by more than five goals in their last game.

This tricky scenario could have been prevented had the Diamonds held their composure in Invercargill.

Trailing the Sting 15-11 in an error-ridden first quarter the Diamonds fought back to level 25-all at halftime.

Diamonds defenders Anna Scarlett and Stephanie Bond made the Sting shooters work for every ball while captain Victoria Edward provided plenty of speed and flow through court when she was moved from wing defence into centre in the second quarter.

But the wheels started to wobble for the Auckland side in the third quarter where continual pressure from Sting defenders Megan Hutton and Jenny Ferguson got to the Diamonds attack.

Young Silver Fern Maria Tutaia, who continues to impress with her willingness to put up the shots from anywhere in the circle, was stable, but her partner, Jo Morrison, struggled.

With just two players on her bench, Diamonds coach Sue Hawkins decided to move Grace Rasmussen into goal attack from wing attack, which proved disastrous as Rasmussen tried to play a holding game instead of carving the circle up as she was instructed to do.

Morrison returned to the court but the damage was done.

The Diamonds shooters finished with a 72 per cent record (44/61) compared with the Sting's 85 per cent (55/ 65).

Once again the Sting were impressive in many facets. Former Australian international Natalie Avellino, who replaced Tania Dalton who was suffering a migraine at halftime, was once again a problem for her opponents while the tireless Belinda Colling was instrumental in the Sting's success.

Hawkins said her side's high error rate was their main downfall.

"We dropped a lot of ball we did a lot of bad passes, we generated a lot of our own errors. I think the pressure they put on us created an uneasiness."

Yesterday the Magic maintained their position at the top of the table with a patchy 59-34 win over the Rebels in Hamilton.

While the Magic dominated the game, it wasn't the slickest of performances from the defending champions. They were guilty of forcing far too much ball into shooter Irene van Dyk which was scooped up by the Rebels' Kuhurangi Waititi, who had an exceptional game nabbing 11 interceptions.

Once again the Rebels shooting was woeful. They ended the match with 63 per cent compared to the Magic's 78 per cent.

In Christchurch the Canterbury Flames just managed to edge out the Shakers to keep their semifinal hopes alive.

ROUND FIVE
National Bank Cup

* Northern Force 57 Western Flyers 42

* Southern Sting 55 Auckland Waitakere Diamonds 44

* Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic 59 Otago Rebels 34

* Canterbury Flames 46 Capital Shakers 44