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Swifts score last minute win over fiesty Firebirds

Roar Rookie
15th June, 2008
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The NSW Swifts have fought off an inspired Queensland Firebirds final-quarter comeback to sneak home 61-60 at Olympic Park Sports Centre in Sydney.

After dominating for the majority of the match and holding a 47-41 lead at the final break, the Swifts came under attack from a spirited Queensland side in the final quarter, outscored 19-14.

With the scores locked at 60-60, Susan Pratley shot the winning goal for the Swifts en route to the player of the match award for a superb all-around performance.

In the dying moments a trademark Queensland high ball to Romelda Aiken, who was tousling with Swifts keeper Adelaide Johnson, drew a contact penalty against the run of play.

That gifted the Swifts the ball and with it came the winning goal.

Johnson, who gave a wonderful performance against the competition’s highest scoring and most dangerous shooter Aiken, felt she had come off second best in the penalty stakes and was ecstatic to get the right end of the call.

“She must have contacted me in the back and the umpire saw it luckily,” Johnson said.

“It was about time because it (contact) had been happening all game and the ball just went our way. We couldn’t be happier.”

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Firebirds coach Vicki Wilson said it was extremely tough for her team to have the result decided by an umpiring decision.

“I’ve no doubt there was a bit of push and shove from both parties but to be able to change the balance of the game on a call like that, from the team that loses that’s always tough,” Wilson said.

The Swifts and Firebirds last met back in round six of the competition, with the Firebirds coming out on top 66-52.

Swifts captain Catherine Cox was inspirational today, scoring 32 goals from 36 attempts at 89 per cent, while Pratley produced 29 goals.

A much-improved Swifts side took to the court, jumping out to a five-goal lead 31-26 at halftime.

In front of a sellout home crowd, the Swifts rose to the occasion and put on a wonderful performance at both ends of the court.

Aiken continued her brilliant form for the visitors, making 53 from 56 attempts.

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The Firebirds staged their comeback in the final quarter, thanks largely to a perfect 15-goal term to Aiken, assisted by Sophie Croft at goal attack who replaced Tamsin Greenway in the final quarter.

Swifts defensive duo Rebecca Bulley and Johnson were working hard in defence and troubled Aiken and goal attack Greenway much more than when these teams last met, where Aiken bagged a competition-record 58 goals.

The win for the Swifts lifts them to equal second with Adelaide Thunderbirds on the championship ladder, two points adrift of the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic, who face the Melbourne Vixens on Monday night.

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