Netball: Magic take Pulse for sixth win in a row

Noeline Taurua used to spend a lot of time running scenarios and keeping an eagle eye on the points table.

This year the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic coach has changed just about everything and it now seems to be paying off, a dominant second half against Central Pulse last night giving the side their sixth victory on the trot.

The 52-42 ANZ Championship win at Tauranga's TECT Arena has Magic another step closer to their goal of making the playoffs despite a bad start to the season.

Taurua has maintained that, contrary to how things may have appeared from the outside, the team are stronger and more connected than ever and she has remained confident in their ability to turn things around.

"There's so much happening and probably more to come which has made it a really exciting competition," she said.

"It's unpredictable and for where we're sitting at the moment, it's just one week at a time and not getting caught up in anything, apart from what we want to achieve and working hard to make that happen.

"In previous years I would, from round one, be following the table and have all the scenarios planned, but this year I haven't even looked at it ... there's still the byes to come, there's still Australian teams to play each other and who's to know what's going to happen?"

Magic were given a real run for their money by Pulse in the first half of last night's round-11 clash, but took the initiative in the second half to swing the advantage - and the scoreline - their way.

The first half was a real arm wrestle, defensive pressure from both teams allowing neither any space for open, flowing play and making patience the most valuable commodity on court.

While Magic gained a five-goal lead in the first quarter, the visitors came back at them, making the most of turnover and chipping away at the scoreline to be up 12-11 at the break.

Pulse lifted another notch in the second spell to gain the advantage and lead 24-21 by halftime, thanks in part to some poor Magic decisions on attack, although the home team rallied in the dying minutes.

Having had their wings clipped in that quarter, Magic regathered and with shooters Irene van Dyk and Juliana Naoupu taking a more pro-active approach, regained the lead. Up 38-33 at three-quarter time, Magic never looked like waivering from there, sharp on attack and picking up plenty of turnover as Pulse fell off the pace.

As Pulse captain, defender Katrina Grant, acknowledged after the match, Magic picked up the intensity and they did not. "We were caught watching," she said.

She credited Magic with a good chance of making the playoffs "if they put in a full 60 minutes". That's exactly what Magic will need to put out on court when they face Northern Mystics in Auckland this Sunday.

That means there's plenty of work to do in this week's build-up.

In other round 11 matches played yesterday Adelaide Thunderbirds beat Queensland Firebirds 54-49 and NSW Swifts beat West Coast Fever 51-49. Tonight Mystics play Southern Steel. Melbourne Vixens and Canterbury Tactix had the bye.