ENGLAND won its first game of the Nations Cup edging ahead of South Africa 58-53. Both sides had a point to prove given they headed into the match winless, but it was the Roses who stood up when it counted, seizing the moment and capitalising late in the fourth.

South Africa got the jump early skipping out to a three-goal lead at quarter time. The combination in the goal circle between Lenize Potgieter and Lefebre Rademan paid dividends for the Spar Proteas. In their last outing, the Proteas lacked movement but they seemed to have rectified those issues this match with both players rotating through and using a variety of tricks to open up the circle. Up the other end, the Roses opted for a different look with Eleanor Cardwell out in goal attack and George Fisher taking the goal shooter bib. Cardwell looked uncomfortable at times, struggling to find her rhythm and play that secondary shooting role allowing the likes of Karla Pretorius to have a real impact. The talented goal defence upped the ante down back hunting the ball and pressuring every move Cardwell made, giving her side the advantage heading into the break.

After a slow start to the game, England lifted its efforts across the court to win the quarter 12-10 with only one goal separating the sides at the main break. The Roses made a couple of changes in the second quarter with Jade Clarke switching into wing defence and providing greater defensive pressure to stop Bongi Msomi who was having a field day in the attacking third. Youngster Amy Carter showed her class in centre plying her trade up and down the court and hitting the circle edge to deliver silver service to the shooters. The changes did not stop there with Fran Williams moving to the bench and Kate Shimmin entering the game as goal keeper alongside Stacey Francis. The two posed a dominant threat in the air picking off any loopy passes and applying strong hands over pressure on the shot. England won their fair share of ball back collecting six rebounds up to half time compared to their opponents three but inaccuracy seemed to be their main issue sitting at 83 per cent compared to South Africa’s 92 per cent showing just how proficient they can be.

It is not called the premiership quarter for no reason, with England breaking away in the third to create a five-goal buffer. Natalie Haythornthwaite made a seamless transition, from wing attack to goal attack with the captain finding plenty of space in the circle and feeding to Cardwell. The introduction of Chelsea Pitman provided another element for the South African line-up to think about with Pitman using her strength to hold space around the top of the circle and quick hands to dish off passes into the goalers. Defensively the Roses, continued to tinker with their line-up with Laura Malcolm replacing Clarke in wing defence and applying strong pressure. Francis upped the ante hunting the ball and stopping South Africa from having it all their own way.  With the Roses humming across the court, the Spar Proteas were looking for a spark but struggled to generate any real momentum. Phumza Maweni was down on her usual output unable to have the same influence under the post thanks to Cardwell controlling the space.

The final quarter was filled with plenty of intensity and half chances. Just went England looked like they were about to run away with it South Africa pulled out the party tricks reducing the margin back to two goals off the back of strong defensive work of Pretorius and Shadine van der Merwe. But the Roses were quick to reply with captain, Haythornthwaite taking a crucial intercept midway through the quarter to regain control of the match. It was the turning point of the game with England pulling away and bringing on goal keeper Razia Quashie to close out the match. The goal keeper did not skip a beat in the dying minutes getting hands to ball and shutting down options in attack.