Premier netball top-four race one of narrow margins

Anyone's ball: Waikohu goal defence Humaria Higgins competes for the ball with Whangara Old Girls goal attack Nadia Whaitiri-White. Waikohu will play against Gisborne Girls' High tomorrow at the YMCA in a must-win match for Gisborne Girls' High. Picture by Paul RIckard

Points will be critical for Gisborne Girls' High School Senior A when they take on Waikohu (1) in premier netball at the YMCA tomorrow morning.

JT Contractors Horouta Gold have put the squeeze on the third and fourth playoff places, by virtue of their midweek win against Whangara Old Girls.

Horouta have 15 points, three ahead of Girls' High and two ahead of Whangara Old Girls.

Whangara have finished their round-robin games on 13 points and as things stand would be in the top four with Horouta, Waikohu and YMP (1).

To stand any chance of making the top four, Girls' High must win tomorrow, or at least get a bonus point for losing by a narrow margin.

Gillies Electrical Girls' High take on second-placed Claydens Waikohu (1) at 9am tomorrow.

Waikohu have won all their games against Girls' High this season.

But lately the students have been playing good netball and using their links well through the court.

They will need to bring their top game for the full hour if they want to take this win, though, as Waikohu have shown, they have strength in all areas of the court.

The premier table at this point has YMP (1) on top with 36 points. Waikohu have 28pts, Horouta 15, Whangara 13, Girls' High 12 and High School Old Girls 10.

In the last of the round-robin games on Wednesday night at the YMCA, YMP will play Girls' High and High School Old Girls will take on Horouta Gold.

The final make-up of the top four will not be decided until then in this fascinating Pak'nSave competition season.

•