Coached to lose????

 In what many netball fans might have thought would be an easy win,Pine Hill St Barnabas had the shock of their lives on Saturday ( June 16) at the Netball Stadium in a return  netball clash against former Premier League queens NCC losing 37-39.

Playing without ace goal shooter Lydia Bishop who was still serving a three game suspension, former national player Colleen Griffith at goal shooter ( 15/19)  and Renee 'Maria Tutaia' Rudder at goal attack ( 24/35), it was the girls from NCC who played with more intensity in the opening minutes of the game,catching the team laden with nationals and former national players on the 'back foot'.

With the winner of this game almost guaranteed second place behind newly double-crowned champions COW Rangers,PH St Barnabas lacked cohesion in the shooting circle and was overly aggressive in the defensive third coughing up penalty after penalty by the goal defense who was not effective when it mattered.

Also in the 'favour' of the girls in pink was one of the two umpires whom they had argued for and who many netballers know ( despite what HE says) is very much a part of that 'family'. Making numerous questionable calls that were all in the favour of the St Barnabas team,it was therefore a major surprise ( to people in the stands) that NCC would eventually win.

 Fresh from  leading a relatively succsessful BWU netball team to a Goodwill tour to Trinidad and Tobago, Kathleen( Carla) Brathwaite(GK) completely nullified anything the PH St Barnabas shooters had to offer. She was ably supported by another member of the BWU team in Chekirah Shepherd( GD).

When it mattered most, former national captain Kizzy Marville ,present national player Sabreena Smith and former junior standout Joyann Cooke proved to the girls in pink and their equally raucous supporters including those from the Selection Committee who were in the VIP box ( commonly called the DANGEROUS BOX),that commonsense will always outPLAY nonsense.

Congrats Team NCC.... you were the better team!