Wanilla def Imperials 36-27

IN fantastic weather conditions this game was very much the close contest everybody expected between the top two teams of the competition.

Wanilla was back to full strength with Donna Charlton back in from a week off and Imperials were still missing Tara Stott from their defence line.

Imperials got a jump start scoring the first three goals unanswered.

The startled Wanilla side managed to score and settle into the game.

Imperials were another player down when Lucy Gale fell injuring her ankle, which saw Corinne Shillabeer moved to wing attack and Tammy Williams come off the bench and go into wing defence.

Wanilla added one more goal to their score before the quarter time whistle and went to the break leading by four.

Both sides remained unchanged going into the second quarter.

Wanilla were finding it hard to penetrate the very tight Imperials' defence.

Nicole Symonds was working overtime outside the goal circle to try and work the ball in.

Tamara Siegert and Tanya Rawson were having a tough physical contest in the centre and both were reliable targets for their teams down the court.

The third quarter was just as closely contested; Wanilla got off to a good start by turning over the Imperials centre pass with a held ball in the Imperials attack line.

Both teams made some unforced errors throughout the quarter among patches of some very good play.

Megan Butterick in defence for Imperials was keeping the usually dominant Emily Yancic relatively quiet with some very tight defensive pressure.

Wanilla were in front at three quarter time by seven.

The last quarter saw neither team back down and Imperials continued to fight until the final whistle.

Goals were hard to come by at both ends with both teams' goalies feeling the pressure of the close game.

Wanilla won the quarter by two and the game overall by nine.

No doubt these two teams will meet in the finals where it will be another close contest.