London Mavericks produced a spirited second-half comeback but were ultimately defeated 57-48 by Nottingham Forest in a huge round 11 clash at the Motorpoint Arena on Saturday evening.
With 4th place facing 5th place in a crucial battle for the top four, both sides came into the fixture knowing the importance of the result. Mavericks started brightly, as Jamie Golob forced an early turnover under the post which allowed George Inger to open the scoring. However, Forest quickly settled into the contest and punished Mavericks with a clinical opening spell to build an early lead.
Defensively, Golob continued to impress throughout the first quarter with multiple key intercepts and gains, while Suzie Liverseidge helped calm the Mavericks attack with composed feeds through the mid-court. Emily Andrew added an important two-pointer late in the quarter to reduce the deficit, but Forest held a 16-11 advantage at the first break.
The second quarter saw Sophie Egbaran introduced into the game, making an immediate impact with her movement and composure in the shooting circle. Mavericks began to grow into the contest, with Ellie Sadler and Golob applying relentless defensive pressure to force errors and regain possession. Egbaran also nailed a huge super shot midway through the quarter as Mavericks pushed to stay within touching distance.
Despite the improved momentum, Forest continued to convert their opportunities and took a 28-21 lead into half-time. Golob and Sadler were standout performers defensively in the opening half, both recording four gains.
Mavericks came out firing after the restart, scoring within the opening seconds of the third quarter. Defensive combinations between Golob and Donoghue disrupted the Forest attack, while the introduction of Hannah Knightbridge added fresh energy through centre court. During the super shot period, Mavericks mounted an impressive comeback, battling to within a single goal late in the quarter before Forest landed a buzzer-beating two-pointer to edge ahead 40-37.
The final quarter delivered end-to-end netball, with both sides trading goals in a high-intensity battle. Emily Andrew returned to the court and combined well with Egbaran as Mavericks continued to apply pressure. A full-team defensive effort saw Mavericks draw level at 43-43 with ten minutes remaining, setting up a tense finish.
However, Forest capitalised during the closing super shot period to regain control of the game and eventually secure the victory despite Mavericks’ late fightback.
Attention now quickly turns to Wembley, where Mavericks face London Pulse in the highly anticipated London Derby next Sunday.