Pilgrims host Hucclecote in crunch encounter

By pstoneham

PLYMOUTH Pilgrims can force their way back into Regional One's top three places if they defeat Gloucestershire outfit Hucclecote tomorrow at the Mayflower Centre (12.30pm).

Pilgrims, so often one of the league's front-runners, are undergoing rebuilding and are fourth, while their visitors are third.

Coach Sue Gullick is expecting to pick from a fully-fit squad after a rash of injury and illness scares.

Key defender Claire Grainger slightly turned an ankle during training, but should play.

And the team's engine room, centre Becky Lawrence, appears to have recovered from a bout of 'flu. In their last game two weeks ago, Pilgrims suffered their worst defeat for years – a 54-23 pasting at runaway leaders Poole Aquarians.

Gullick said: "(Assistant coach) Sadie Burt and I have worked hard to build the team spirit after the Poole game and the girls have responded well."

Gullick added: "We are looking forward to another close, hard-fought contest and no matter what the result, even though we have lost three games, we are still a team that doesn't give up easily – it's not our style."

Pilgrims (from): Claire Grainger, Vicky Chudley, Alex Cleeve, Sophie Garton, Lauren Davies, Gemma Riley, Becky Lawrence, Claire Harling, Lizzie Mitchelmore, Hayley Gullick.

REGIONAL One debutants Plymouth Marjon Saints should beat bottom outfit St Austell tomorrow (2.30pm).

Saints, who face the Cornish side at Marjons, have recovered from a shaky start and are now comfortably mid-table.

St Austell, however, are propping up the division and look among the favourites for relegation.

But Saints skipper Caroline Brokenshire refused to take anything for granted.

She said: "I know they (St Austell) haven't won a game yet, but when you look at their results, they've all been pretty close.

"We hope to win, but even at home there's no room for complacency."

PM Saints: Denise Ellis, Katie McGinley, Carla Johnson, Rachel Baker, Danielle Cain, Caroline Brokenshire (capt), Hannah Morgan, Alex Kimmins, Michelle Dann, Sally Grice.

IN THE Plymouth and District Netball League, Division One high-flyers Anixter beat University 37-26.

Both teams brilliantly intercepted each other's passes early on, but the more experienced Anixter went into the third quarter leading by four goals.

Anixter sharp-shooters Kerry Spry and Susie Carroll kept the goals going in with skipper Charlotte Mathers, Sharon Spry and Jo Aitken providing them with the chances.

Exceptional play by Anixter's defence of Karen York, Lisa Ellis and Sam Harrison kept University at bay.

Nominated players were University centre Jenny Westaway and Anixter goal attack Kerry Spry.

In Division Three, Huntley and Partners kept alive their prospect of consecutive promotion campaigns, beating a young Plymstock side 34-19.

Plymstock pegged back Huntley's early on, but by the third quarter former England under-17 international Naomi Kent was dominating the centre court for the unbeaten Saltash outfit.

Kent, whose influence helped to give her side a 15-goal cushion, was named player of the match.