Pulse beat Mavericks in derby to go top of Super League
Funmi Fadojou was a key player for Pulse in their win against the Mavericks
- Published
London Pulse moved back to the top of the Netball Super League with a 63-53 derby win against the London Mavericks at Wembley Arena.
Loughborough Lightning had gone top with a 71-59 win over the Leeds Rhinos but Pulse responded by getting back to winning ways following a defeat by Nottingham Forest last time out.
They led 35-22 at half-time and, despite the Mavericks reducing the deficit to four points with nearly 12 minutes left, Pulse finished strongly to go two points clear at the top of the Netball Super League table.
Lightning had put some pressure on Pulse with an assured display at home to see off second-bottom Leeds Rhinos a day earlier.
Vic Burgess' side are aiming to clinch a third consecutive title and looked to be warming to the task in this fifth straight victory.
Just one point separated the two sides going into the final five minutes of the second quarter before Lightning turned the screw in the 'super shot' period, outscoring Rhinos by nine points to two.
They moved further ahead after the break, ending the third quarter leading 54-39 at the Sir David Wallace Arena.
And while the visitors worked hard to reduce that deficit in the closing stages, Lightning always looked capable of capitalising on their greater shooting accuracy.
They finished with an 86% success rate, compared with Rhinos' 82%, landing six more goals (46-43) and three more in the 'super shot' period (11-8).
The top two will meet when Pulse host Lightning at the Copper Box Arena in their next match on Sunday, 18 May.
Elsewhere, Manchester Thunder secured a 72-58 win over Nottingham Forest to go fourth in the table.
Elle McDonald was named player of the match as Cardiff Dragons secured their first win
On Friday, Cardiff Dragons claimed their first win of the Netball Super League season as they beat Birmingham Panthers on Friday.
Having started the campaign with seven consecutive losses, the Dragons overcame a narrow half-time deficit to secure a 61-57 victory at the Skydome Arena.
The Panthers led 34-32 at midway point and were still a point up at the end of the third quarter.
It was level at 57-57 with five minutes remaining but the Dragons edged ahead through goal attack Phillipa Yarranton and she added a super shot to extend the lead.
Goal shooter Georgia Rowe, who top-scored for the Dragons with 39 goals, wrapped up the win for the Super League's last-place side.
The Panthers had a marginally better shooting success rate, 86% to the Dragons' 85%, with Sigi Burger scoring 46 goals, but were outshot 67 to 55 by the visitors.
Dragons are now just four points behind Panthers in seventh.
Fixtures and results
Friday, 9 May
Birmingham Panthers 57-61 Cardiff Dragons
Saturday, 10 May
Loughborough Lightning 71-59 Leeds Rhinos - watch the full match back on BBC iPlayer
Sunday, 11 May
Nottingham Forest 58-72 Manchester Thunder
London Mavericks 53-63 London Pulse