Grammar edge clear in top four

An efficient first term was the difference as Grammar 1 firmed their place in the top four of the Albany Netball Association A1 with an eight-goal win over Kangas 2 on Saturday afternoon.

With the winner to gain some much-needed breathing space in the top four, the quarter-time margin of eight goals was the final gap between the evenly matched sides as Grammar held firm to win 36-28.

Their blistering first term was set up by the high-class long-range shooting of Jordyn Warren, who netted 11 goals from 15 attempts.

Warren was on the end of most of Grammar’s forays forward as she recorded almost half of her total goals for the match in the opening stanza.

Grammar extended their margin to nine by half-time but Kangas began to show signs of recovery from their slow start.

Despite producing more attempts in the third term, Kangas bridged the gap by only one by three-quarter-time after shooters Jenna Honey-Smith (10 goals from 17 attempts) and Monique Nicholson (12 goals from 17 attempts) began to get busy and goal defender Amy Coetzer closed down on Warren.

The margin was twice trimmed to only five goals on the back of a purple patch of shooting from Nicholson but Grammar steadied through some vital intercepts from their defence to halt their momentum.

Kangas made the most of their final-term chances, but through weight of numbers and Warren (24 goals from 45 attempts) consistently grabbing rebounds to create multiple chances, Grammar recorded the vital win.

In other round 7 matches, Royals Saints 1 continued their unbeaten start with a 20-goal win over newcomers Bethel, 40-20, while Kangas 1 moved into second spot on the ladder after proving too classy for Narrikup 1, 36-24.