Celtic Dragons could well be dreading the trip up north to Manchester Thunder.
The two teams couldn’t have started the season any more differently. While Thunder are sitting pretty at the summit of the Superleague table, unbeaten, Dragons are rock-bottom without a win. Thunder have already seen off the league’s top three other sides and edged a close encounter with Roses Rivals Yorkshire Jets last time out.
Dragons are only in front of Team Northumbria on goals conceded, but they have also scored over 40 less than the North East side, who sit above them in the tale. The Welsh outfit seem to have lost their spark since reaching the Superleague final in 2013, and enigmatic shooter Lottysha Cato to Jets. And are unlikely to get it back against the defending champions.
Thunder’s strength so far this season has been having players in form across all areas of the court.
Defensively, they have keeper Kerry Almond, whose partnership with Emma Dovey has been simmering for a number of seasons, and seems to have reached boiling point in 2015.
The addition of impressive Aussie Chelsea Pitman has given Thunder more options in their attacking play, but even when she, and a number of other players were off-colour against Jets, Thunder could ground out the win.
But the real difference has been the form of 20-year-old England shooter Helen Housby. Her shooting is at 95 per cent accuracy – the best in the league.
Housby, speaking after recording 100 per cent accuracy in the Jets game, said: “I hope my form can continue. I feel good out there and training is going well.” Manchester Thunder take on Celtic Dragons in front of the live Sky Sports cameras at 7.45pm at the Thunderdome, Gorton.
The two teams couldn’t have started the season any more differently. While Thunder are sitting pretty at the summit of the Superleague table, unbeaten, Dragons are rock-bottom without a win. Thunder have already seen off the league’s top three other sides and edged a close encounter with Roses Rivals Yorkshire Jets last time out.
Dragons are only in front of Team Northumbria on goals conceded, but they have also scored over 40 less than the North East side, who sit above them in the tale. The Welsh outfit seem to have lost their spark since reaching the Superleague final in 2013, and enigmatic shooter Lottysha Cato to Jets. And are unlikely to get it back against the defending champions.
Thunder’s strength so far this season has been having players in form across all areas of the court.
Defensively, they have keeper Kerry Almond, whose partnership with Emma Dovey has been simmering for a number of seasons, and seems to have reached boiling point in 2015.
The addition of impressive Aussie Chelsea Pitman has given Thunder more options in their attacking play, but even when she, and a number of other players were off-colour against Jets, Thunder could ground out the win.
But the real difference has been the form of 20-year-old England shooter Helen Housby. Her shooting is at 95 per cent accuracy – the best in the league.
Housby, speaking after recording 100 per cent accuracy in the Jets game, said: “I hope my form can continue. I feel good out there and training is going well.” Manchester Thunder take on Celtic Dragons in front of the live Sky Sports cameras at 7.45pm at the Thunderdome, Gorton.