Unconvincing win as Magic struggle

Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic limped into the top four of the transTasman netball league in less than convincing style last night, edging out a gallant Canterbury Tactix 53-49 in Rotorua.
Magic, who had lost their last two matches, did not put forward a compelling case that they would be play-off contenders against a bottom-placed Tactix side ravaged by injuries but one which caused the star-studded franchise all sorts of problems.
It took until the fourth quarter for the Magic to finally edge clear of a stubborn Tactix who had shown fortitude to battle back into contention after a sluggish start in an error-ridden match.
The win lifts the Magic to third place in the league and they should maintain their position in the top four when they face the underperforming Southern Steel in Invercargill on Sunday.
Magic shooter Irene Van Dyk rated last week's shocker against NSW Swifts as "probably the worst we've ever played", rattling off a long list of things the team did wrong.
Last night wasn't markedly better.
The team have a short turnaround before their next match, against Southern Steel in Invercargill on Sunday. A week later they play Adelaide Thunderbirds in Australia with Pulse their final opponents in regular play.
"We have to win every game now and have to get good scores because our average is not flash," Van Dyk said last night.
Magic have been in this situation before - needing to win the rest of their games or risk their fate being controlled by the results of other games and goal averages.
"It's a silly place to be in really - why would you do that to yourself? But every season, looking back, we've been in that situation," Van Dyk said. "No, we don't take the shortcut - we take the long road to the finals." The loss means the Tactix remain rooted at the foot of the transTasman table with three games left in their season.
The Magic, meanwhile, are in must-win mode with matches against the Steel, away to the Adelaide Thunderbirds and home against the Central Pulse to determine whether they feature in the playoffs.
Life without captain Lauren Nourse began with a convincing win for the all-conquering Queensland Firebirds in Brisbane last night.
But things weren't so rosy for the Sharelle McMahon-less opponents, the Melbourne Vixens. Undefeated Queensland locked up a home final by extending their remarkable club record unbeaten run to 11 games with a 57-36 win.