NETBALL
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The George Tavern have moved into outright third on the Maitland Netball Association A-grade competition ladder following a three-goal victory.
The Thornton club side staved off a comeback from Hills Stormtroopers to run out 46-43 victors at the Maitland Park courts on Saturday.
At one stage they led 18-6 but The George Tavern skipper Lorraine Keith said her girls did well to stay in front for the entire game and keep their fast-finishing opponents at bay.
“We had a fantastic start and led comfortably after the first quarter but they did really well and came back at us hard,” Keith said.
“We managed to keep our noses in front and stayed calm and collected the whole time.
“It was a really good game, it was a really tight game, and in the last quarter it felt like a grand final because every shot and every intercept was so important.”
Keith paid tribute to her makeshift shooting combination of normal defender Laura Nolan and day player Georgia Sexton, who were in for main attacking options Emily Keith and Amy Griffiths (University exams).
“Laura [Nolan] was outstanding ... she usually plays defence but stepped in and was absolutely fantastic,” she said.
“And for Georgia [Sexton] to come in and play the way she did was great as well.”
The George Tavern (23) now skip three points clear of Hills Stormtroopers (20) on the competition ladder after going into the round eight encounter on equal terms.
Next to Hills Stormtroopers on 20 points will be Family Hotel, who were upset 54-32 by Anytime Fitness (16).
This comprehensive result pushes Anytime Fitness to sixth place and keeps their semi-final aspirations alive.
Hills Solicitors and Lantry Plumbing (29), maintained their lead at the top of the table with comfortable wins against Queens Arms Hotel (14) and Altitude (7) respectively.
Hills Solicitors accounted for Queens Arms Hotel 69-49 in a high-scoring affair while Lantry Plumbing were twice as good as Altitude winning 58-26.