The Hartlepool netballers suffered back-to-back home defeats on Sunday, when they were beaten 49-43 by Exeter at Brierton Community Sports Centre.
Having established themselves as title hopefuls after winning their first four matches to stand first, Leah Kennedy’s team are without a win in three matches to slip to fourth place.
Despite the recent set-backs, Oaksway remain very much in the hunt for a top two place and can re-lay a marker in their next game a week on Sunday, when they visit leaders AP Saints.
The Birmingham outfit top the tree on 31 points, with Exeter second on 29 following their win in Hartlepool, while YMCA Magic are third on 27, two points better off than Oaksway.
Kennedy’s team play host Leeds club YMCA on November 29 in another ’six pointer’ before hosting bottom side Worcester on December 6.
Should Oaksway regain their winning touch they would be right in the mix at the mid-season break.
“We just couldn’t get our flow going in the attacking end,” Kennedy told Life. “In the opening weeks of the season, we were clinical, connective and creative and we’ve kind of lost that.
“That is something we really need to get back as we go intro the final three matches before the Christmas break.
“We had opportunities to take Sunday’s game and I believe we were still the better team, but on the day we did not perform as we can.
“We really need to re-set before going into these three important games.”
Oaksway never really got going against Exeter. They lost the opening session 12-9, though they responded by taking the second 13-12 to cut the mid-way deficit to two goals.
Oaksway got back to just one goal at one stage, but Exeter took the final two quarters 14-11 and 11-10 to win 49-43 overall.
Author: Roy
Author of Sports Life and all sports articles.
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