Netball: Unsettled Force stung in last quarter

The Sting's Adine Wilson (centre) gets the ball away under pressure from the Force's Kimberley Horton (right) at the North Shore Events Centre yesterday. Picture / Martin Sykes

The Force were left ruing what might have been yesterday after their heads let them down in the final quarter, handing the Sting an important win.

After their disappointing loss to the Diamonds the week before, it was a vastly different Force side which took the court at the North Shore Events Centre.

For most of the match their defence was suffocating, their middies dominating and shooters Megan Dehn and Catherine Latu on the mark.

That was right up until the last quarter.

The Force had led 14-12 after the first quarter, 27-24 at halftime and 39-36 at three quarter time, but midway through the last quarter they became their own worst enemies.

It all began with a slightly misguided high ball into Latu, which flew out of court. While Force fans would probably argue the towering goal shoot received a nudge from her rival Megan Hutton, the umpires saw it otherwise and the Sting were handed possession.

Within a few minutes the Robyn Broughton-coached side had gone from being three down to being two ahead.

Known for their ability to perform under pressure, the Sting's win never looked in doubt as the Force became hesitant and error prone in the dying minutes.

A frustrated Force coach, Yvonne Willering, said her team's demise was "inexcusable".

"All we had to do was make our own centre pass-offs and that was all that mattered but we became very hesitant.

"Why? I have no idea. I don't think anyone can say we didn't have the urgency out there and that we did not want it."

She said her team always knew the Sting would mount a comeback, so she couldn't understand why her players froze. "It [the fourth quarter] was always going to be when they were going to do it," Willering said.

"Most of those Sting players have been in a winning combination before, they know what it takes to win. Some of our players still have to learn it."

The match is probably the best indication yet of how difficult it is going to be to stop the Sting taking the National Bank Cup back to Invercargill.

The shrewd way in which their attack operates is going to take some counteracting, while the return to form of powerful goal keep Hutton should be enough to worry any attacking combination in the country.

Broughton said she knew her side could pull it back and even predicted that it would be a misjudged ball into their shooters that would cost the Force.

"I said to the girls there will be one that will go out the back and that is all you need. Once we got that we were away tails up. We kept our head when others were losing theirs."

Broughton said her side's ability to "keep their heads" was the result of an understanding between her players but admitted it was something they continually worked at.

"We have a plan for those situations. As you saw we slowed it up. I would be surprised if most teams didn't have something that is going to do it for them."

In yesterday's other match the Diamonds did their semifinal chances no harm, backing up their win over the Force with a confidence-boosting 20-goal win over the Shakers in Wellington.

After leading 13-10 at the first break, the Diamonds had a big second quarter, restricting their opponents to seven goals while scoring 19 themselves.

Diamonds coach Sue Hawkins used three shooters and they all delivered. Maria Tutaia ended the match with 92 per cent, Jo Morrison 95 per cent and Grace Rasmussen 83 per cent.

Round four

* Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic 70 Western Flyers 28.

* Canterbury Flames 45 Otago Rebels 36.

* Auckland Waitakere Diamonds 63 Capital Shakers 43.

* Southern Sting 52 Northern Force 48.