Contrasting fortunes for YMP, Ngatapa

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

GISBORNE premier netball heads into the Queen’s Birthday holiday break with reigning champions YMP (1) still undefeated and Farmlands Ngatapa still looking for a win.

There will be no games this weekend but in Wednesday’s Pak’nSave competition matches at the YMCA, YMP put in a convincing performance to see off an improving Horouta Gold team 59-35.

YMP never looked like losing.

However, it was a case of just the opposite for Ngatapa, who let slip a 14-12 first-quarter lead against Gisborne Girls’ High School on the way to their fourth straight loss.

Girls’ High quickly overturned the two-goal first-quarter deficit, hitting straight back in the second quarter to take a 26-18 halftime lead.

Ngatapa, fielding a new-look team this season, remained in the game but were unable to close the gap, as the students ran out 51-42 winners.

Following Wednesday’s games, YMP remain top of the table on 16 points with a 4-0 record and the competition’s tightest defensive record to boot.

IMS High School Old Girls are on their own in second place, with 12 points from four games, with Whangara Old Girls (nine points) and Clayden’s Waikohu and Girls’ High (both on eight points) all jostling for a top-four place.

Horouta Gold (four points) and Ngatapa (one point) fill the last two places.