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Table-topping Bath hit back in Vitality Netball Superleague

Bath top the Vitality Netball Superleague standings on 30 points.
Bath top the Vitality Netball Superleague standings on 30 points. (Ben Lumley/Netball Super League)

All of the top four sides rounded off their time at Wakefield with the perfect double-header weekend as Team Bath, Manchester Thunder, Loughborough Lightning and Wasps all came away with six points out of a possible six in the Vitality Netball Superleague.

Bath returned to winning ways to stay at the top of the standings, as they beat Leeds Rhinos 52-46 in the first game of the weekend.

Bath went into this game off the back of their first loss of the season, but the title contenders put their disappointment behind them and put in a solid performance to overcome a resilient Rhinos side.

Rhinos welcomed back Donnell Wallam into the starting line-up after fracturing her radius bone but a dominant second quarter from Bath was enough to separate the sides.

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The introduction of Imogen Allison in the second quarter in particular working wonders for Bath, as she secured two intercepts and two turnovers to turn the tide of the contest.

“It was hugely important with growing from last week we really wanted to push on and show everyone what we’re about,” said Player of the Match Allison.

“I wasn’t here last week so I don’t know how it felt on court but I think we just stuck together, we rode the wave.

“They put out a tough performance against us and it was hard but we just stuck together.

“We’re taking every week as it comes, just trying to build game on game really.”

Earlier in the evening Loughborough Lightning also put last week’s defeat behind them as they beat Strathclyde Sirens 61-35.

Lightning stormed the third quarter, scoring 18 goals to Sirens’ five which was crucial in taking the game away from the Scottish side.

There were only two goals in it at the halfway point, but the introduction of Jaz Odeogberin and Suzie Liverseidge proved to add a new dynamic to the team and secure the win for Lightning.

“We just felt like we were starting to get static in attack and I thought she [Suzie] had a brilliant second half in particular,” Lightning director of netball Sara Bayman said.

“We’re just relieved to get those two games out of the way and two wins against Sirens because they’re going to trip someone up pretty soon.”

On Saturday, Bath and Lightning rounded off their perfect weekends with wins over London Pulse and Celtic Dragons respectively.

Meanwhile, Sirens put the Loughborough defeat behind them as they came out on top against Surrey Storm 45-33 to secure their fourth victory of the season.

Sirens started as they meant to go on and stayed in front throughout, winning all four quarters and never letting Storm back into the game despite them having positive spells.

And on Sunday Manchester Thunder defeated Surrey Storm 52-35 and Wasps overcame Celtic Dragons 52-38.

Both Thunder and Wasps then beat Rhinos and Saracens respectively on Monday to keep pace with the leaders.