SERENA Guthrie was a special guest at Sydenham Netball Club last week to provide a training session.

Although she is a Commonwealth gold medal winner with the England netball team, she was very down to earth and happy to talk to everyone, in particular the younger players, to ensure that they understood the drill they were performing.

Guthrie has been very busy with her own netball commitments but was more than happy to come to Sydenham to provide some advice and drills which can be incorporated in usual practice sessions on a Thursday evening.

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Somerset Division 1
Taunton Quantock 66, Sydenham Rubies 35

RUBIES made a great start with great shooting from Shell Jenkins and Laura Coombes, and turnovers from Katie Issitt and Anna Belcher, but Quantock led by 11 by half time.

Steph Gibson (GD) and Tanisha Birch (GA) kept on fighting as Rubies battled to the finish.

POM & UPOM: Laura Coombes; OPOM: Anna Belcher; sponsor: Medipak

Somerset Division 2
Taunton Blackdown 49, Sydenham Emeralds 25

EMERALDS had a strong start to their game on Saturday against Blackdown.

With Tanisha Birch and Rhiannon Crabtree shooting well, the score at the end of the first quarter was 11-7 to Blackdown.

The second quarter saw Emeralds game out fighting, with Angel Finka on form; the score at halfway was 23-14.

In the third quarter Emeralds started to tire and Blackdown extended the lead.

Despite Emeralds’ resilient last quarter, they were unable to catch up.

POM & UPOM: Angel Finka; OPOM: Hannah Wallis; sponsor: Medipak

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Somerset Division 1
Bridgwater Neptune 36, Spears 18

NEPTUNE started the match with confidence, accurate shooting from Katie Harris (GS) and Izzy Keane (GA) seeing them lead 11-5 at the end of the quarter.

The defence of Emily Harwood and Sally Haysham restricted the Spears shooters to just three goals and Neptune led 18-8 at half-time.

Spears pressurised hard in the third quarter, but Chris Durant (WD) and Amy Kemmish (C) linking well and Izzy Innalls’ movement around the circle created space.

Spears tried to increase pressure but Neptune kept extremely calm and rose above the infringements, winning the quarter 9-2.

Ensuring Spears did not pick up a point, Neptune won 36-18.

Player of the match: Izzy Innalls; opposition’s player of the match: Katie Harris; sponsor: Merrick Construction

Somerset Division 3
Bridgwater Mars 31, Arrows 42

MARS faced a long trip to Paulton to play against Arrows.

Both teams started well, with good work by centre Sophie Atyeo, who fed good balls into the shooters.

The second quarter was much the same, with Arrows putting Mars under a lot of pressure but defenders Amy Miller, Ella Smith and Georgia Howe working hard to keep Mars in the game, the first half ending 20-14 to Arrows.

Mars made a few changes and closed the gap but Arrows upped their game to triumph 42-31.

POM: Alicia Clapp & Georgia Howe; OPOM: Georgia Howe; sponsor: MJB Auto Services

Bridgwater Under-16s 33, Yeovil Under-16s 30

BRIDGWATER’S Under-16s put in a fantastic performance to beat Yeovil.

The girls worked really hard and led by two at half time.

The Yeovil side threw everything they had at Bridgwater, but the leadership of captain Izzy Innalls was crucial in Bridgwater holding on.

Outstanding shooting from Izzy Keane and Alicia Clapp allowed Bridgwater to capitalise on the Yeovil mistakes, while Caitlin Howe, Jazz Alexander, Iris Hammond and Ella Smith shone in defence.

The girls finished 33-30 ahead for a well-deserved victory.

POM: Izzy Keane, Alicia Clapp; sponsor: Bridgwater & Taunton College

Bridgwater Under-14s A 27, Wells Under-14s 30

DETERMINATION from Wells from the whistle left Bridgwater a little flat-footed and trailing 14-6 early on.

But the Bridgwater girls hit the court with renewed vigour, preventing the feed into Wells’ tall shooter.

Bridgwater trailed by four going into the final quarter and just ran out of time.

Bridgwater Under-14s B 8, Yeovil Under-14s 9

YEOVIL led 4-1 after a defensive first quarter, a lead they stretched to 6-2 by half time.

Bridgwater’s shooters profited from superb feeds and good movement, winning the third quarter 5-2.

Trailing by just one going into the final quarter Bridgwater worked tirelessly but couldn’t quite pull it back, as the quarter ended 1-1, meaning Bridgwater lost out 9-8.