Not out of the woods yet

Midcourt action: Horouta Gold wing defence Dayna Green (left) and Whangara wing attack Zoe Bryant go for the ball. Horouta play Tatapouri Sportsfit in a challenge games tomorrow.

NETBALL

WINS on Wednesday have eased the pressure on the two sides aiming to stay in the Pak’nSave premier netball competition but the cross-over games tomorrow still pose a threat.

Claydens Waikohu had a battle holding off Tatapouri Sportsfit, 36-34, in the YMCA on Wednesday night.

“We certainly had a few nervous moments that night,” Waikohu coach Cheryl Te Rito said.

“But regardless of the final score, I thought in the first half the girls were close to being back to their best.”

Waikohu led 25-16 at halftime against Tatapouri.

“But then fatigue set in,” Te Rito said.

“All credit to Tatapouri. They really gave us a fright.

“If the girls can hold a full hour-long game together tomorrow against IMS High School Old Girls Masters, and play like they started on Wednesday night, I think we’ll be all right.”

Horouta Gold played very well in their Wednesday clash with High School Old Girls and powered away as the game wore on to win 54-31.

“It was really pleasing to see a lot of things we have been working on come together against HSOG,” Horouta coach Claire Campbell said.

“There were a lot of things that clicked for us that night, particularly our links in to our shooters.

“I want to see the girls take that belief and performance on to the court tomorrow morning against Tatapouri,” Campbell said.

“Tomorrow’s game is just as important as Wednesday’s, because it’s about the mental aspect of our game.

“We have got to back up a good performance with another one,” she said.

Both premier grade challenge matches will be palyed at Victoria Domain tomorrow at 10.amBoth premier grade challenge matches will be played on Victoria Domain tomorrow, as opposed to inside the YMCA.

Both games start at 10.15am.

All other senior grades have challenge games as well tomorrow and the Gisborne Netball Centre board will meet in the afternoon to make promotion-relegation decisions across the grades.

The secondary and intermediate competitions start with grading tomorrow.