Lytton have a chance to rise

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

Lytton Senior A have a right royal chance to move up the points table when they take on Horouta Gold in Pak’nSave premier-grade netball at the YMCA tomorrow morning.

The students will be pumped up after their efforts against Claydens Waikohu on Wednesday.

That draw and their recent win against Gisborne Girls’ High School will have done wonders for their confidence.

The standings ahead of tomorrow’s clash have YMP Sunshine Brewery on 40 points, Taste One High School Old Girls on 37, Whangara Old Girls on 23, Claydens Waikohu on 20, Girls’ High Senior A on 18, Lytton on 11 and Horouta on 8.

Lytton, Horouta and Girls’ High have two games left before the playoffs, and the rest, just one.

“Lytton and Horouta have had two close games this season,” netball commentator Sherrill Beale said.

“Both teams have had mixed results, but Lytton have had better results in this round, especially their draw with Waikohu on Wednesday night and their win against Girls’ High.

“Horouta Gold will need to bring their top game to win.”

Lytton coach Ronnie Martin said her girls showed again on Wednesday night just what they could do.

“They were a bit fitter than Waikohu, I feel, and that’s why the game was so close at the end.”

It ended 47-all.

“They played with only seven players the other night, so they did very well to draw.”

Lytton have surged as a team in recent weeks.

“Half of them have been involved in the representative team and that seems to have boosted them a bit,” Martin said.

“Also, Manaia Hutana has been shooting so well for us, as she did the other night. She’s so tall and is such a good target.

“I hope the girls can pull off a win against Horouta tomorrow.

“Our aim is to finish as close to the top four as possible, and finish the season on a high.”

Horouta cannot be taken lightly.

They gave Taste One HSOG a good game last week, and while they were beaten comfortably in the end, they were competitive in a couple of quarters, and certainly did not back down.

Horouta will go up against the students tomorrow with the right intent, and make a game of it.

This, the only premier game tomorrow, has a 10am start at the YMCA.