This Wednesday saw the Netball Blues hold off a late fightback against Worcester to secure a much-needed win in their relegation battle in BUCS Midlands Tier. Standout performances from Georgia Baker and Nat McEvoy secured a 61-59 win for the light blues, a result that could spark some momentum heading into the back end of the season.

Going into this game off the back of a defeat at the death against Loughborough, Cambridge knew that a win was required here against title chasers Worcester to keep their season afloat. The Blues arrived with intent, racing into a 7-4 lead after five minutes. This was followed by a well-read interception by goalkeeper Nat McEvoy shortly after. On form throughout the game, Georgia Baker backed up this momentum with a great shot to put Cambridge 12-8 up halfway through the first quarter. This positive start triggered a strong response from Worcester, who capitalised on Cambridge’s missed passes towards the end of the quarter. Worcester got their noses in front to lead 16-17, following a late goal before the first interval.

“Secure, sophisticated interplay by Izzy Howse and five interceptions from Nat McEvoy gave Cambridge a solid foundation”

During the second quarter, the light blues came roaring back and set the tone for the rest of the game. While the game had its ebbs and flows, Cambridge asserted their confidence from this moment forward. The light blue co-captains led from the front: secure, sophisticated interplay from Izzy Howse and five interceptions from Nat McEvoy gave Cambridge a solid foundation to keep up their fight. Consecutive turnovers from the Blues brought the home outfit 34-29 ahead at half-time.

A well-worked goal looked to give Cambridge some continued momentum in the early moments after the break, assisted by Izzy Howse and scored by Lucy Walker. However, Worcester provided some strong resistance and drew level at 38-38 halfway through the third quarter. Yet again, the light blues’ dominant, assertive defensive performance was the backbone of this win, visibly sapping the confidence of the Worcester attack. A flurry from Cambridge in the last five minutes of the quarter brought the light Blues 50-44 going into the last quarter.

“A certain déjà-vu was on everyone’s minds.”

Though trailing, Worcester never looked out of the game, as they again fought back to level the score with Cambridge in the closing minutes. Following a brief lecture from the umpire following side line dissent, the home team edged ahead to 60-57, with less than three minutes remaining. A certain déjà-vu was on everyone’s minds following the light blues’ last-minute loss against Loughborough last week, where they had dominated periods of the game. However, the home outfit maintained possession in the final two minutes to hold off a fighting Worcester. This showing of grit and determination to seal a crucial win was a major positive and keeps Cambridge alive in the league.

Next week, the light blues will face an even tougher challenge when they play league leaders Birmingham. With every match crucial to Cambridge’s survival, they will provide incredibly stiff competition, having lost only once all season. That said, if the Blues play in the same manner as they did against Worcester, there is no reason that they cannot cause an upset.