The Horsham Saints have come from behind to defeat the Horsham Demons in round 11 of the WFNL on Sunday, July 2.
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The Demons led at two of the three breaks, but Jess Cannane's side were able to break the game open in the fourth-quarter.
When time was called at St Brigid's Stadium, the score was 63-56.
Horsham had a fast start.
Casey Rentsch deflected the first centre pass as the Demons scored the first two goals.
Marnie Lehmann and Ebonie Salter proved difficult for the Saints' attackers to work around in its defensive ring.
The Demons quickly established a four-goal lead midway through the first term.
Once the Saints were able to get its hands on the ball for a sustained period, they could control the tempo.
Short passes were employed to shift Horsham's defence across the court.
A four-goal deficit was reduced to one at quarter time.
It was really quiet in that first five minutes. We need to get up and about," Cannane said.
Both sides forced turnovers in the mid-court early in the second quarter; the Demons would move the ball quickly in transition to catch the Saints' defence out of position.
Saints defenders Erin Mellington and Rory Doran started to impact the contest.
A Jorja Clode goal on the siren levelled the scores at 29 at half-time.
Read more: Saints overpower Demons | WFNL round 11
"Let's just chill out a little bit. Not everything has to be rushed," Hier said.
On the court, Horsham made a change.
Jedda Heard entered the game at centre.
It was the Saints' turn to push the tempo off turnovers early in the third.
On the scoreboard, Horsham worked its way to a three-goal lead through the middle of the quarter before the league leaders pegged them back.
At three-quarter time, the Demons held a one-goal lead.
Jedda Heard moved to goal keeper, Marnie Lehmann made way.
Rentsch returned to centre.
With its new combination, Horsham lifted its intensity once again.
Goal attacker Imogen Worthy was leading out to the ball so that Georgia Batson could be isolated in the post.
At the other end, Clode began to be given space.
The young shooter was on the end of some long passes as the game opened up.
The Saints made the most of the momentum and increased its lead to seven goals at full-time.
Erin Mellington's final term was outstanding; she was joined in the best by Abby Hallum.
Georgia Batson finished with 31 goals for the Demons.
Batson joined wing defender Romi Miller in the best.
Post-match, Saints coach Jess Cannane was pleased with how her side adjusted.
"I think we'll take a lot more out of that game being able to be goal-for-goal for the first three, three and a half quarters," Cannane said.
"Then we were able to sort of find our groove again and just kind of pull away."
In the lead-up to the top-of-the-table clash, the Saints focused on defence.
"We saw Erin [Mellington] come out and take a couple of clean intercepts from goal keeper. They were some of the things we've been trying to work on at training."
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Lucas Holmes
Lucas is a sports journalist with the Wimmera Mail-Times, Stawell Times-News and Ararat Advertiser. He completed his Bachelor of Communications (Journalism) degree through Charles Sturt University. Lucas is originally from Newcastle, New South Wales.
Lucas is a sports journalist with the Wimmera Mail-Times, Stawell Times-News and Ararat Advertiser. He completed his Bachelor of Communications (Journalism) degree through Charles Sturt University. Lucas is originally from Newcastle, New South Wales.
