NSL Rd 1: MATCH REPORT – LONDON PULSE vs MANCHESTER THUNDER

By Paul Prenderville

London Pulse began their 2024 Superleague season with a 56-40 defeat to a fierce Manchester Thunder, on a thrilling day of netball action at the Season Opener in Nottingham.

A packed out Motorpoint Arena, with 6,000 netball fans in attendance was in full voice as two of last season’s top four met in the game of the day, and despite a relentless display from Olivia Tchine and an encouraging debut from Izzi Phillips, it was not to be for Pulse.

Sam Bird’s 2023 Grand Final runners-up never quite recovered from a slow start, and despite threatening to get back into the game, costly mistakes handed the initiative to a fluid Thunder side that punished every mistake.

Pulse get the chance to bounce back against another of last season’s top four, when they travel to Surrey Storm in Round 2 – and Bird insists there is plenty of work to do.

“It was tough, and we were expecting tough – they are hard to beat and today they played really well and we were a little bit disconnected.

“We will look at our connectivity, we had a lot of players running away from the ball, so its about coming back to our principles and getting the players what our principles are

“Too many unforced errors, confusion between who was driving for the ball to draw a player and who wanted it. And Thunder came off the body, confused the space rather than us find them and then come off them, so it was really indecision on the through court play.”

Sam Bird

STORY OF THE GAME

With Paige Reed and Olivia Tchine trading early goals, it was Thunder into a rhythm first as they opened up an early five goal advantage. But with Berri Neil joining Tchine in finding her range, Pulse chipped away to close within two before defences took over. Shadine van der Merwe’s turnover was converted by Reed, while Funmi Fadoju was at her brilliant best with two crucial deflections ensuring Thunder were unable to pull clear.

London Pulse 11-16 Manchester Thunder

Q2

An early change for Pulse saw Izzi Phillips given her first taste of Superleague action in the centre bib but another fast start to the quarter from Thunder saw them pull out to a seven goal advantage, Despite excellent defensive work from Halimat Adio, and a positive impact from Phillips, Thunder were relentless under the post and through the court, extending their advantage going into half-time.

London Pulse 20-26 Manchester Thunder (9-10)

Q3

Off season recruits Brie Grierson and Nicholé Taljaard came on at half-time and once settled it kickstarted a strong run with South Africa’s attack star Taljaard scoring her first Superleague goals and Tchine maintaining her accuracy to bring Pulse back within five at 25-30. However, having done the hard work to draw within touching distance a blistering 6-1 run from Thunder, including five successive goals, left Pulse with a nine goal deficit to make up going into the last quarter.

London Pulse 30-39 Manchester Thunder (10-13)

Q4

With Pulse seeking a fast start to generate the turnovers they needed, Thunder kept their foot down and pulled them further clear. As the teams traded goals across the closing 10 minutes Tchine stayed ice cool under the post but was too often isolated, and it was Thunder who claimed the opening day victory and the two points to go with it.

London Pulse 40-56 Manchester Thunder (10-17)

Pulse Player of the Match: Funmi Fadoju

STARTING 7s

Pulse – GK – Adio; GD – Fadoju; WD – Z. Everitt; C – Clarke; WA – Scholes; GA – Neil; GS – Tchine. Bench – D. Everitt; McEachrane; Phillips, Grierson, Taljaard

Thunder – GK – Huckle; GD – van der Merwe; WD – Allison; C- Carter; WA – Metcalf; GA – Pearson; GS – Reed. Bench: Almond, Bowen, McKevitt, Rayner, van der Berg