The Celtic Warriors lost their proud home record to the Sheffield Steelers at Darland in a game that was a great advertisement for the game of Wheelchair Basketball.
The game started off with both coaches being very cagy – neither wanted to declare their hands until well into the game. The Warriors got off to a good start with an excellent basket from Ballard-East after Grime missed 3 free throws from an attempted 3 point shot. The Steelers were shooting blanks and Flanagan got his name on the scoring sheet with a beautiful shot from the left. Then Wild of the Steelers replied and Jackson of the Warriors came back at them with a basket. Wild replied again and scored 2 more baskets while Forbes scored to keep the Warriors in the lead and the quarter finished.
Celtic Warriors 8 Sheffield Steelers 6
The Steelers coach restructured her team and imposed a press upon the Warriors with great effect. Forbes managed to break the press scoring 2 Baskets in the opening minutes and McDerby scored an easy basket for Steelers up the middle of the court. Forbes then went up the court and put away a beautiful 3 pointer from behind a screen. The Steelers then put on their other big man and were now playing with 3 big players, this allowed them to take control of the game with scores from Wild and Tscherniawsky without reply from the Warriors - the quarter finished
Celtic Warriors 17 Sheffield Steelers 20
The Warriors coach reorganised his team and decided to see if for the next 10 minutes they could impose their stamp upon the game. Unfortunately the could now as Steelers came out strong with baskets from Tingle and Wild before the hardworking Doyle took the ball from her own basket and drove all the way up the court and with brilliant decoy work by Jackson she scored a basket. The Steelers then scored five baskets without reply until Flanagan scored another basket from the side. Tscherniawsky scored two more baskets using his strength and height which the Warriors had no answer for and so the quarter finished:
Celtic Warriors 22 Sheffield Steelers 40
The Warriors tried so hard to get back into the game with Forbes scoring a beautiful side shot and it was followed by Doyle and Grime scoring while the Steelers only reply was from Wild. Then the Warriors coach decided to play his bench and the players who came on showed great composure and guile, Ovenden scored for the Steelers with a couple of good shots from outside the key. Then Allerston of the Warriors went in to score his first basket of the season but was fouled. He took his 2 free throws and was unlucky not to score. The Steelers also played the rest of their bench and Warriors player, Billy Bridge the youngest member of the squad at 12 years old, made his debut for the Warriors.
Celtic Warriors 30 Sheffield Steelers 50
Warriors Squad as follows:
P.Grime (C) A.Jackson, P.Forbes, C. Doyle, C.Ballard East, B.Flanagan, B. Bridge, R.Allerston, N.Williams, P.Barron, N.Cooper, D.Spencer,
Scorers: P.Forbes 13, Flanagan 6, C. Doyle 4, Grime 2, Jackson 2, Ballard East 2
Peter Barron, the Warriors coach said he was disappointed in losing their home record as they had not lost in 2 seasons at Darland. He was also disappointed in the Warriors free throws shooting as they missed 13 shots which would have made the game closer and they needed to work on it. Also he was paid great compliment to Rob Allerston for his commitment and “never say die” attitude and also Nate Williams. He said that he was still confident they will come good in the season but lacked height and will make that his priority in the forthcoming weeks of signing a big forward so “we can compete with the other teams in the division”
