ENGLAND has completed its three-game series with Uganda undefeated, winning the third and final match by 13 goals overnight. The Roses backed up their nine and eight goal victories in the first and second games, with a 64-51 triumph over the She Cranes, scoring the most goals in the series, as defender Fran Williams won Player of the Series.

ENGLAND 17 | 15 | 13 | 19 (64)
UGANDA 11 | 11 | 18 | 11 (51)

Given the series was already wrapped up, Roses coach Jess Thirlby started with a less experienced seven against the She Cranes. The home nation backed up how they finished game two with London Pulse duo Olivia Tchine (goal shooter) and Funmi Fadoju (goal keeper) started, while Zara Everitt replaced Imogen Allison at wing defence, and Hannah Joseph returned to start in wing attack as she had in game one.

The She Cranes also had a different look with Irene Eyaru in at goal attack and Falidah Kadondi at goal keeper. Shakira Nakanyike and Rosette Namutebi were positioned at the wings, with only Mary Cholhok, Margret Baagala and Joan Nampungu starting again having brought in reinforcements for the match.

The changes seemed to favour the visitors early as Uganda quickly forced a turnover and lead by three goals in the early stages before the hard work of Laura Malcolm and Fadoju was having a say at the other end. Tchine and Eleanor Cardwell are renowned for their deadeye shooting, and the Roses scored 16 of the last 23 goals for the first term before heading into the break with a six-goal lead.

That lead grew to double-digits by half-time, with Williams moved into goal keeper to tackle the dangerous Cholhok, having done so many times at Loughborough Lightning training. Instead of a second quarter fadeout, this time it was a third term one for the Roses, as their intensity dropped off and left the door ajar for the She Cranes, as Uganda scored 18-13. That halved the deficit to just five goals at the final break.

The likes of Chelsea Pitman and Alice Harvey both ended the game on the court as they provided fresh legs and a different perspective for the Roses. Outscoring the She Cranes comprehensively in the last, England’s 19-11 final term resulted in them storming away to a 13-goal victory, 64-51. Remarkably, Tchine earned Player of the Match honours, making her the second shooter to do so following Cardwell’s game one achievement. The Player of the Match in game two, Williams, earned Player of the Series.

“We had a different line-up to start the game, built a lead by half-time and had to fight a little bit in the third quarter. The senior group really asserted themselves in the fourth quarter,” Thrilby said.

“It was a really classy finish and I’m really pleased because I don’t think that it was a given that we would necessarily win by a bigger margin.”