After completing an energy-sapping win over Hertfordshire Mavericks just two days ago, the Black and Yellows go again against Surrey Storm at the Thunderdome tonight.
In the corresponding fixture last season, Thunder sneaked a three goal win , 55-52. And Captain Sara Bayman is expecting a similar outcome for tonight’s game, with the pressure on Surrey to avoid a second defeat on the bounce and for Thunder to keep up their unbeaten Vitality Superleague form.
Storm suffered a crushing one-goal loss to Loughborough Lighting on Saturday and will be desperate to get their title defence back on track in front of the Sky Sports cameras tonight.
Skipper Bayman said: “We are constantly striving to improve – its not enough that we win a match, we want to put out a four-quarter performance and we’ve only done that once this season, against Bath.” Thunder are not yet feeling the pressure of the ‘unbeaten’ tag, with the squad instead focussed on improving every game. “I don’t think the fact that we are undefeated changes things and Storm will be well up for it,” the 31-year-old centre-courter added, “It’s not a game that any team needs motivation for but they now need to win to stay among the top positions and our aim now is to put as much distance as we can between us and the other teams so that were are not involved in a scrap at the end of the rounds.”
Thunder face a Storm side packed with international and young talent and with Tamsin Greenway overlooking the action from the sidelines, their threat to Thunder’s undefeated record should not be underestimated.
Manchester Thunder v Surrey Storm 7.45pm (live on Sky Sports from 7.30pm)