06/10/06 WOMENS NATIONAL TROPHY 1ST ROUND HOLBROOK TIGERS 46 SOUTHEND SWIFTS 47 The opening game in a busy weekend for Southend Swifts saw their senior womens team travel out to Ipswich to take on Holbrook Tigers in the first round of the National Trophy, a competition open to all womens teams not playing in National League Division 1. Holbrook previously played out of Colchester but have moved venue to the superbly appointed new leisure centre in the village. Southend were again below strength due to injuries and unavailabilities and fielded seven under 16's in their 10 player squad. A scrappy start saw the game tied at four before six straight points for Swifts gave them the first meaningful lead of the contest at 10-4 midway through the first quarter; Christina Gaskin already with seven. They retained the margin at 13-7 before Tigers made a 6-2 run that brought them back within two points. Gaskin scored a further two but Holbrook converted the last score of the quarter that saw Southend with a slender 17-15 lead. The bad news for Swifts though was the news Gaskin would take no further part in the game due to the recurrence of a knee injury. The second period was a very dour affair as both teams spurned easy scoring opportunities. Swifts scored all of the 7 points that the sides could manage in the opening 7 minutes before the hosts ended the quarter with a 7-2 stretch that left Southend 26-22 ahead at the half time interval. Two quick scores for Holbrook looked to have given them the initiative but a basket from Francesca Whitby and a three-point shot from Rebecca Brough took Southend 31-26 ahead. The home side replied with the next four before four points from Jennie Rodgers helped her team to a 35-32 lead going into the final period. Again Tigers made the first break but excellent shooting from Hannah Culwick with four straight kept the Essex side's nose in front at 39-37. Holbrook tied the game up but another Brough basket and a foul shot from Fran Hitt took Swifts to 42-39 with three minutes remaining. Some poor decision making looked to have cost Southend as they conceded the next five points to trail for the first time since the opening basket at 44-42. Whitby fought her way through for the next score before Rodgers hit a huge three-point shot to take her team 47-44 in front with one minute remaining. Holbrook scored on their next attack but missed the additional bonus shot, which gave Swifts the ball with 30 seconds remaining. The scoring attempt were unsuccessful but an interception by Hitt recovered the ball and Southend retained possession as the clock ran down to record a most unlikely 47-46 win. Rodgers 11, Gaskin 10 and Whitby 8 (all under 16 players) had led the scorers on a day when all of the squad gave a huge effort in securing the victory.
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