Celebrations | Photo taken from @eleanor_cardwell on instagram
Manchester Thunder claimed their fifth Netball Super League win at Manchester’s Co-op Live against London Pulse as they won 54-51. Coming on during the game, Experience Kissimmee Player of the Match, Sophie Fawns was the standout player throughout and changed the game.
After a dominant season, Manchester Thunder are now tied with Team Bath for Netball Super League titles and their first title since the undefeated 2022 season. With the Co-op Live hosting the final, it held a backdrop for the future of netball in the North West.
Manchester Thunder won the toss with Amy Carter taking the first ball as centre and the home side took full advantage in the opening minutes. Quick passing across the shooting circle helped with the pace of the game with Eleanor Cardwell dominating in the goals across the four players. With three super shots and seven one-pointers for Eleanor Cardwell, Thunder were three points ahead going into the first break of the afternoon with them also using every player possible on the court effortlessly transitioning between thirds.
Alicia Scholes and Taylor McKevitt battled together across the court throughout the period and beyond with Halimat Adio vocal on the court for Pulse as Vice Captain. Funmi Fadoju was gamechanging throughout as she has been all season with multiple pickups and intercepts to help London Pulse fall just three off in the first quarter.
End of Quarter One: Manchester Thunder 15-12 London Pulse
Starting the second quarter, there were no changes with London Pulse’s Liv Tchine chasing away with one-point shots but in the Amex Super Shot zone, failed to convert. This was the same for Sophie Kelly as she only put two goals on the board throughout the 15 minutes but worked well with Liv Tchine to get her tally, in the quarter, to 13 goals. First goal for Eleanor Cardwell came six minutes in, proving just how dominant Pulse was in the second quarter with Alicia Scholes firing a pass to Tchine around 9 minutes left on the clock from one side of the court to the other.
A Tactical Change for Manchester Thunder saw Sophie Fawns come in at Goal Attack or Thunder with 7 minutes 45 on the clock and changed the game for the home side. After just one super shot in that quarter, she fired more and more in as the game went on. Various pick ups happened in the game from both Zara Everitt and Josie Huckle with Sophie Fawns performing an intercept in the centre third just before the Amex Super Shot period. Both Pulse defenders continued to double stack in the circle as they have done all season leaving Sophie Fawns open at times as they focused on shooter Eleanor Cardwell.
Half-time: Manchester Thunder 25-27 London Pulse
Changes from Thunder happened prior to the quarter with Cerys Finn came on as Goal Defence and Lois Pearson came back on but in the Wing Attack position with this changing the game. Cerys Finn defended against Sophie Kelly really well as she only put one one-pointer on the board with London Pulse missing opportunities throughout this quarter, slipping a two goal lead and tilted it to Thunder’s favour by six goals.
Gracie Smith had an intercept and pick up to her name with Sophie Kelly having a turnover in the quarter. Thunder had multiple passes around the court, making it difficult for Pulse to follow what they were doing with fresh legs helping the movement throughout the fifteen minutes.
End of Quarter Three: Manchester Thunder 42-36 London Pulse
Sam Bird did not change the lineup at all during the 60 minutes, and stuck with the same starting seven for majority of the season which confirmed a challenge for Alicia Scholes who just came off the back of an ankle injury and was yet to play a full game until then. Taylor McKevitt and Josie Huckle continued to intercept the ball ahead of the Pulse attackers with Pulse pressured to take shots and passes at times.
Manchester Thunder used all players when in the shooting third and even coming up to the centre third to change the flow of the game, with Funmi Fadoju reading the situation and adding another intercept to her list. After the second time out of the game, Pulse looked to try and attack with three super shots in a row for Sophie Kelly but a mis-timed pass from Alicia Scholes to Liv Tchine wasn’t read from the Goal Shooter. A Supershot from Eleanor Cardwell secured the win for Thunder and a one-pointer on the buzzer from Sophie Fawns earned her Player of the Match after her impressive performance throughout.
Full-time: Manchester Thunder 54-51 London Pulse
Starting Sevens:
Manchester Thunder: GK: Josie Huckle, GD: Elia McCormick, WD: Taylor McKevitt, C: Amy Carter, WA: Natalie Metcalf, GA: Lois Pearson, GS: Eleanor Cardwell.
Impact Players: Sophie Fawns, Emma Rayner, Cerys Finn.
London Pulse: GK: Halimat Adio, GD: Funmi Fadoju, WD: Zara Everitt, C: Gracie Smith, WA: Alicia Scholes, GA: Sophie Kelly, GS: Liv Tchine.
Impact Players: Tyler Orr, Darcie Everitt, Kamogelo Maseko
