London Mavericks fell just short against Birmingham Panthers in a fiercely contested clash at Essex Sports Arena on Sunday, with the visitors claiming victory in the final moments after a game that remained within touching distance throughout.
Neither side was able to break away for large periods of the contest, as momentum swung back and forth across all four quarters in front of a vocal home crowd. The teams headed into halftime level at 26-26 after an intense opening half filled with physical battles and quick attacking play.
Mavericks looked to have edged ahead in the third quarter, opening up a four-goal advantage, but Panthers responded strongly to pull themselves back into contention heading into the closing stages.
A tense final quarter saw every possession matter, with the visitors holding Mavericks to just seven goals in the final period to secure a dramatic win and spark celebrations on court.
Despite the result, there were strong performances across the court for Mavericks. Suzie Liverseidge dictated play through midcourt with 27 feeds into the goal third, while Amelia Hall made an instant impact from the bench, contributing 18 feeds and five goals in an energetic display.
At the other end, Betsy Creak proved clinical in the circle for Panthers, earning Experience Kissimmee Player of the Match honours after finishing with 31 goals and five rebounds.
The result sees Panthers move above NIC Leeds Rhinos into seventh place ahead of Round 14, while Mavericks now turn their attention to the final stages of the 2026 NSL season.