The UOB Netball 3rd Team were overpowered by a superior Cambridge 1st team in a 52-18 loss, against a team that proved stronger in most areas of the game. After a close encounter against Nottingham Trent last week, the hope was for a strong performance against Cambridge 1sts this time around.
The 1st quarter turned out to be a telling one as Birmingham fell behind 16-2 despite the best efforts from goal keeper, Amy Robertson. The quarter was riddled with mistakes in both attack and defence and Birmingham were duly punished by a number of fast paced counter attacks from Cambridge, who were extremely clinical when offered chances. The Lions suffered in particular from a lack of decisiveness in attack, which resulted in a number of intercepted passes.
A tricky start for @UOBNetball 3s as Cambridge take a strong 16-2 lead at the Munrow in the first quarter #BUCSWednesday @UBSport pic.twitter.com/uU6DiRpbPQ
— BurnFM Sport (@BurnFM_Sport) October 19, 2016
The 2nd quarter saw a resurgence led by goal attack Anna Carter-Roberts, as the hosts managed to add 10 points and revitalise the team after a lacklustre first quarter. However, the defence was still unable to cope with another onslaught from Cambridge, resulting in another 13 points being conceded, and the game stood at 29-12 at the half.
The second half offered more of the same; Birmingham were unable to build on their momentum from the second quarter. The half was riddled with mistakes, allowing Cambridge to keep building on their commanding lead. They still refused to give up and there were some heroic efforts in defence from goal defence Nicole Pearson. Cambridge continued to be ruthless in taking their chance in the final third and the match finished 52-18.
In the end Birmingham were outclassed by a superior opponent, who tool all their chances. Their biggest downfall was the basic errors they were making, including misplaced passes and poor positioning on the field. There were still some positives to take from the game, notably their unwillingness to give up and they showed great character throughout the match. They will however be looking to clean up the basic errors before their fixture our very own University Birmingham 2nd Team in a league fixture next week.
